CVE-2023-31137

MaraDNS Integer Underflow Vulnerability in DNS Packet Decompression

HIGH
7.5
CVSS Score
Published: May 9, 2023 at 01:56 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 05:56 AM UTC
4 products affected across 4 vendorsDebian LinuxFedoraMaraDNS

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Severity
HIGH7.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 1%
SSVC
PoC

Description

MaraDNS is open-source software that implements the Domain Name System (DNS). In version 3.5.0024 and prior, a remotely exploitable integer underflow vulnerability in the DNS packet decompression function allows an attacker to cause a Denial of Service by triggering an abnormal program termination. The vulnerability exists in the `decomp_get_rddata` function within the `Decompress.c` file. When handling a DNS packet with an Answer RR of qtype 16 (TXT record) and any qclass, if the `rdlength` is smaller than `rdata`, the result of the line `Decompress.c:886` is a negative number `len = rdlength - total;`. This value is then passed to the `decomp_append_bytes` function without proper validation, causing the program to attempt to allocate a massive chunk of memory that is impossible to allocate. Consequently, the program exits with an error code of 64, causing a Denial of Service. One proposed fix for this vulnerability is to patch `Decompress.c:887` by breaking `if(len <= 0)`, which has been incorporated in version 3.5.0036 via commit bab062bde40b2ae8a91eecd522e84d8b993bab58.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v < 3.4.103.5.0001 ≤ v < 3.5.0036
Affected range stops below 3.4.10, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 3.5.0036, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
v ≤ 3.5.0024

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCPoCAutomatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7.5HIGHGitHub_M
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-191

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