CVE-2018-1046 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

PowerDNS before version 4.1.2 is susceptible to a buffer overflow vulnerability in dnsreplay, allowing for potential arbitrary code execution.

Understanding CVE-2018-1046

PowerDNS Authoritative's dnsreplay tool is affected by a buffer overflow vulnerability that can be triggered by replaying a specially crafted PCAP file.

What is CVE-2018-1046?

The vulnerability in PowerDNS Authoritative's dnsreplay tool allows for a stack-based buffer overflow, leading to a crash and potential execution of arbitrary code.

The Impact of CVE-2018-1046

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 7.0 (High severity) with impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It requires local access and user interaction.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-1046

PowerDNS before version 4.1.2 is affected by a buffer overflow vulnerability in the dnsreplay tool.

Vulnerability Description

A buffer overflow can occur in dnsreplay when using the -ecs-stamp option, allowing for a specially crafted PCAP file to trigger the overflow.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: PowerDNS
Vendor: [UNKNOWN]
Versions Affected: PowerDNS 4.1.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: High
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Unchanged

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take:

Update PowerDNS to version 4.1.2 or later.
Avoid using the -ecs-stamp option in dnsreplay if possible. Long-Term Security Practices:
Regularly update software and apply security patches.
Monitor and restrict network traffic to prevent malicious inputs.
Conduct regular security assessments and audits.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that PowerDNS is regularly updated to the latest version to mitigate the vulnerability.