WS-2023-0162
Published:November 03, 2024
Updated:February 23, 2025
trust-dns and trust-dns-server are vulnerable to remotely triggered denial-of-service attacks, consuming both network and CPU resources. DNS messages with the QR=1 bit set are responded to with a FormErr response. This allows creating a traffic loop, in which these FormErr responses are sent nonstop between vulnerable servers.
There are two scenarios how this can be exploited: 1) Create a loop between two instances of trust-dns, consuming network resources, or 2) consuming the CPU of a single instance.
With two instances A and B an attacker sends a DNS query with a spoofed source IP address to A. A replies with a FormErr to B. Now both servers with ping-pong the message back and forth until by chance the packet is dropped in the network. Multiple spoofed packets can be sent by the attacker, increasing resource consumption.
A single server can get locked up replying to itself. Same setup as above, but now A sends the reply to itself. The packet is sent out as fast as the CPU and network stack manage. This locks up a CPU core. Multiple packets from the attacker consume multiple CPU cores. The issue is patched in versions 0.22.1 and above.
Related Resources (4)
Do you need more information?
Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
8.7
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
NONE
Vulnerable System Integrity
NONE
Vulnerable System Availability
HIGH
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
7.5
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH