# CVE-2016-2120: Integer overflow in pdns

> An authorized user can crash the PowerDNS Authoritative Server by inserting a crafted record that triggers an integer overflow and out-of-bounds read.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 Nov 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-2120, GHSA-mq8j-4764-x4h8, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-2120

## What is CVE-2016-2120?

CVE-2016-2120 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 1 Nov 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue has been found in PowerDNS Authoritative Server versions up to and including 3.4.10, 4.0.1 allowing an authorized user to crash the server by inserting a specially crafted record in a zone under their control then sending a DNS query for that record. The issue is due to an integer overflow when checking if the content of the record matches the expected size, allowing an attacker to cause a read past the buffer boundary.

Weakness: CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-2120?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Powerdns Authoritative.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-2120?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2016-2120 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-2120 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-2120 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-2120 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 1 Nov 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-2120 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2120/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2120/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-2120
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2120
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-2120

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2120/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.