CVE-2018-10851 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Discover how CVE-2018-10851 affects PowerDNS Authoritative Server and Recursor versions, leading to denial of service due to a memory leak issue. Learn about the impact, affected systems, and mitigation steps.
PowerDNS Authoritative Server and Recursor versions 3.3.0 to 4.1.4 (excluding specific versions) are vulnerable to a memory leak issue, leading to remote denial of service.
Understanding CVE-2018-10851
This CVE involves a vulnerability in PowerDNS Authoritative Server and Recursor versions, potentially causing denial of service due to a memory leak.
What is CVE-2018-10851?
The PowerDNS Authoritative Server versions 3.3.0 to 4.1.4 and PowerDNS Recursor versions 3.2 to 4.1.4, excluding specific versions, are susceptible to a memory leak during the parsing of malformed records, allowing for remote denial of service attacks.
The Impact of CVE-2018-10851
The vulnerability can be exploited remotely, potentially resulting in denial of service by consuming excessive memory resources during the processing of malformed records.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-10851
This section provides detailed technical insights into the CVE.
Vulnerability Description
A memory leak occurs in PowerDNS Authoritative Server and Recursor versions when processing malformed records, leading to a denial of service risk.
Affected Systems and Versions
- PowerDNS Authoritative Server: Versions 3.3.0 to 4.1.4 (excluding 4.1.5 and 4.0.6)
- PowerDNS Recursor: Versions 3.2 to 4.1.4 (excluding 4.1.5 and 4.0.9)
Exploitation Mechanism
- Attack Complexity: High
- Attack Vector: Network
- Privileges Required: Low
- User Interaction: None
- Scope: Unchanged
- Availability Impact: High
Mitigation and Prevention
Protect your systems from CVE-2018-10851 with the following measures.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply vendor patches promptly
- Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity
- Implement network segmentation to contain potential attacks
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch PowerDNS installations
- Conduct security assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities
Patching and Updates
- Refer to vendor security advisories for patch availability
- Stay informed about security best practices and updates from PowerDNS