CVE-2026-27854Network attack vector

Service crash via stale EDNS packet reference

Published Mar 31, 2026 · Updated Mar 31, 2026

Use-after-free in PowerDNS DNSdist 1.9.0 through 1.9.11 and 2.0.0 through 2.0.2 allows remote attackers to crash the service. DNSQuestion:getEDNSOptions in custom Lua code retains a reference to a DNS packet version after the packet has been modified, leaving the method to access freed memory. Exploitation requires a deployment that calls this method on attacker-controlled queries; the documented consequence is a process crash, with no system compromise.

CVSS severity4.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.47%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in PowerDNS DNSdist 1.9.0 through 1.9.11 and 2.0.0 through 2.0.2 allows remote attackers to crash the service. DNSQuestion:getEDNSOptions in custom Lua code retains a reference to a DNS packet version after the packet has been modified, leaving the method to access freed memory. Exploitation requires a deployment that calls this method on attacker-controlled queries; the documented consequence is a process crash, with no system compromise.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-27854
Published
Mar 31, 2026
Updated
Mar 31, 2026
Vendor
PowerDNS
Product
DNSdist
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 31, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 31, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1.9.0 <1.9.12
  2. Affected versionversion=2.0.0 <2.0.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

PowerDNS · DNSdistversion=1.9.0 <1.9.12; version=2.0.0 <2.0.3

Published CVSS scores

4.8Open-XchangeCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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