Description
PowerDNS (aka pdns) Authoritative Server before 4.0.1 allows remote primary DNS servers to cause a denial of service (memory exhaustion and secondary DNS server crash) via a large (1) AXFR or (2) IXFR response.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | pdns | 4.0.1-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | pdns | 4.0.1-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | pdns | 4.0.1-1 | — |
| Debian 8 | pdns | 3.4.1-4+deb8u6 | DSA-3664-1 |
| Debian 7 | pdns | 3.1-4.1+deb7u2 | DLA-627-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | pdns | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | pdns | 4.0.1-1.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10136-1 |
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | pdns-recursor | 4.0.3-1.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10537-1 |
Advisories 5
- DLA-627-1 pdns - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-3664-1 pdns - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10136-1 pdns-4.0.1-1.2 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10537-1 pdns-recursor-4.0.3-1.2 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- WID-SEC-2022-2193 DNS Server: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Denial of Service BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · May 29, 2025
References
- https://doc.powerdns.com/md/changelog/#powerdns-authoritative-server-401
- DSA-3664 vendor-advisory
- 1036242 vdb-entry
- [oss-security] 20160706 Malicious primary DNS servers can crash secondaries mailing-list
- https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/issues/4128
- https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/issues/4133
- 91678 vdb-entry
- [dns-operations] 20160704 DNS activities in Japan mailing-list
- https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/pull/4134
- openSUSE-SU-2016:2116 vendor-advisory
- https://github.com/sischkg/xfer-limit/blob/master/README.md