HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2020-25685
LOW

CVE-2020-25685

CWE-326Published: January 20, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

3.7
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

A flaw was found in dnsmasq before version 2.83. When getting a reply from a forwarded query, dnsmasq checks in forward.c:reply_query(), which is the forwarded query that matches the reply, by only using a weak hash of the query name. Due to the weak hash (CRC32 when dnsmasq is compiled without DNSSEC, SHA-1 when it is) this flaw allows an off-path attacker to find several different domains all having the same hash, substantially reducing the number of attempts they would have to perform to forge a reply and get it accepted by dnsmasq. This is in contrast with RFC5452, which specifies that the query name is one of the attributes of a query that must be used to match a reply. This flaw could be abused to perform a DNS Cache Poisoning attack. If chained with CVE-2020-25684 the attack complexity of a successful attack is reduced. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data integrity.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-25685 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.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

arista1 product(s)
eos
Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
Fedora1 product(s)
fedora
thekelleys1 product(s)
dnsmasq
Source: NVD CPE · 5 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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Official Patches & Advisories

All References (15)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2020-25685
CVSS Score3.7 / 10
SeverityLOW
WeaknessCWE-326
CISA KEVNo
Affected4 vendor(s)
PublishedJan 20, 2021

Related CVEs (CWE-326)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2020-25685 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.