CVE-2020-10995 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2020-10995 affecting PowerDNS Recursor versions 4.1.0 to 4.3.0. Discover the impact, exploitation mechanism, and mitigation steps for this DNS protocol vulnerability.
PowerDNS Recursor from version 4.1.0 up to and including 4.3.0 is vulnerable to amplification attacks due to an issue in the DNS protocol. This vulnerability allows malicious actors to exploit recursive DNS services to attack authoritative name servers.
Understanding CVE-2020-10995
PowerDNS Recursor versions 4.1.0 to 4.3.0 are susceptible to a DNS protocol issue that enables amplification attacks, potentially leading to degraded performance of DNS services.
What is CVE-2020-10995?
The vulnerability in PowerDNS Recursor versions 4.1.0 to 4.3.0 allows attackers to use recursive DNS services to launch amplified attacks on third-party authoritative name servers. By manipulating NS records, malicious parties can generate crafted replies that amplify traffic between recursive and authoritative servers.
The Impact of CVE-2020-10995
- Malicious actors can exploit this vulnerability to degrade the performance of both recursive and authoritative name servers.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-10995
PowerDNS Recursor versions 4.1.0 to 4.3.0 are affected by a vulnerability that can be exploited for amplification attacks.
Vulnerability Description
The issue arises from a flaw in the DNS protocol, allowing attackers to abuse recursive DNS services to target authoritative name servers.
Affected Systems and Versions
- PowerDNS Recursor versions 4.1.0 to 4.3.0
Exploitation Mechanism
- Attackers can use crafted replies from authoritative name servers to amplify traffic between recursive and authoritative servers, impacting service performance.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2020-10995, follow these steps:
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update PowerDNS Recursor to versions 4.1.16, 4.2.2, or 4.3.1 that contain mitigations.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly monitor and update DNS software to patch vulnerabilities.
- Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Patching and Updates
- Apply patches provided by PowerDNS to secure the Recursor against amplification attacks.