# CVE-2024-25581: Transfer requests received over DoH can lead to a denial of service in DNSdist

> An attacker can cause a denial of service in DNSdist by sending zone transfer requests over DNS over HTTPS when specific non-default configurations are enabled.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 13 May 2024
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** CLEANSTART-2024-OD86351, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-25581, GHSA-55g9-rgmx-hvww, openSUSE-SU-2024:13958-1

## What is CVE-2024-25581?

CVE-2024-25581 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in PowerDNS DNSdist, published on 13 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

When incoming DNS over HTTPS support is enabled using the nghttp2 provider, and queries are routed to a tcp-only or DNS over TLS backend, an attacker can trigger an assertion failure in DNSdist by sending a request for a zone transfer (AXFR or IXFR) over DNS over HTTPS, causing the process to stop and thus leading to a Denial of Service. DNS over HTTPS is not enabled by default, and backends are using plain DNS (Do53) by default.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-25581?


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `dnsdist` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 1.9.4-1.1 |

## How do I fix CVE-2024-25581?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-25581 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-25581 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-25581 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-25581 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in PowerDNS DNSdist, published on 13 May 2024. 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-2024-25581 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: PowerDNS DNSdist. 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-2024-25581/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-25581/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-25581
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-25581
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-25581

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-25581/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.