Input validation error in PowerDNS Recursor - CVE-2008-1637
Published: April 2, 2008 / Updated: June 21, 2025
Vulnerability identifier: #VU111722
CSH Severity: Medium
CVSS v4.0: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Green
CVE-ID: CVE-2008-1637
CWE-ID: CWE-20
Exploitation vector: Remote access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vendor: PowerDNS.COM B.V.
Affected software:
PowerDNS Recursor
PowerDNS Recursor
Detailed vulnerability description
The vulnerability allows a remote non-authenticated attacker to read and manipulate data.
PowerDNS Recursor before 3.1.5 uses insufficient randomness to calculate (1) TRXID values and (2) UDP source port numbers, which makes it easier for remote attackers to poison a DNS cache, related to (a) algorithmic deficiencies in rand and random functions in external libraries, (b) use of a 32-bit seed value, and (c) choice of the time of day as the sole seeding information.
How to mitigate CVE-2008-1637
Install update from vendor's website.
Sources
- http://doc.powerdns.com/changelog.html
- http://doc.powerdns.com/powerdns-advisory-2008-01.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2008-06/msg00001.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/29584
- http://secunia.com/advisories/29737
- http://secunia.com/advisories/29764
- http://secunia.com/advisories/29830
- http://secunia.com/advisories/30581
- http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200804-22.xml
- http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1544
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/490330/100/0/threaded
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/28517
- http://www.trusteer.com/docs/PowerDNS_recursor_DNS_Cache_Poisoning.pdf
- http://www.trusteer.com/docs/powerdnsrecursor.html
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/1046/references
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/41534
- https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-April/msg00198.html
- https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-April/msg00224.html