CVE-2020-25683
CWE-122Published: January 20, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
A flaw was found in dnsmasq before version 2.83. A heap-based buffer overflow was discovered in dnsmasq when DNSSEC is enabled and before it validates the received DNS entries. A remote attacker, who can create valid DNS replies, could use this flaw to cause an overflow in a heap-allocated memory. This flaw is caused by the lack of length checks in rfc1035.c:extract_name(), which could be abused to make the code execute memcpy() with a negative size in get_rdata() and cause a crash in dnsmasq, resulting in a denial of service. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2020-25683 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.9.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (15)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-122)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2020-25683 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts