CVE-2026-33601: NULL Pointer Dereference in PowerDNS Recursor
CVE-2026-33601 is a medium severity vulnerability in PowerDNS Recursor versions 5. 2. 0, 5. 3. 0, and 5. 4. 0. It arises when the zoneToCache function processes data from a malicious authoritative server, leading to a null pointer dereference due to a missing consistency check. This results in a denial of service condition. There is no confirmed patch or official remediation available at this time, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
This vulnerability in PowerDNS Recursor involves the zoneToCache function, which lacks a necessary consistency check when handling zones from authoritative servers. An attacker controlling such a server can send crafted zone data that triggers a null pointer dereference, causing the Recursor service to crash and become unavailable. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.4, reflecting a network attack vector with high attack complexity and requiring high privileges, no user interaction, and impact limited to availability. The vulnerability affects versions 5.2.0, 5.3.0, and 5.4.0 of PowerDNS Recursor. No patch or official fix has been documented in the provided data.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation causes a denial of service by crashing the PowerDNS Recursor process due to a null pointer dereference. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity according to the CVSS vector. The attack requires high privileges and has high complexity, limiting the likelihood of exploitation. No known active exploits have been reported.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, users should consider restricting access to authoritative servers and monitor for unusual Recursor crashes. No vendor advisory or patch links are provided, so no official remediation can be confirmed at this time.
CVE-2026-33601: NULL Pointer Dereference in PowerDNS Recursor
Description
CVE-2026-33601 is a medium severity vulnerability in PowerDNS Recursor versions 5. 2. 0, 5. 3. 0, and 5. 4. 0. It arises when the zoneToCache function processes data from a malicious authoritative server, leading to a null pointer dereference due to a missing consistency check. This results in a denial of service condition. There is no confirmed patch or official remediation available at this time, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
This vulnerability in PowerDNS Recursor involves the zoneToCache function, which lacks a necessary consistency check when handling zones from authoritative servers. An attacker controlling such a server can send crafted zone data that triggers a null pointer dereference, causing the Recursor service to crash and become unavailable. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.4, reflecting a network attack vector with high attack complexity and requiring high privileges, no user interaction, and impact limited to availability. The vulnerability affects versions 5.2.0, 5.3.0, and 5.4.0 of PowerDNS Recursor. No patch or official fix has been documented in the provided data.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation causes a denial of service by crashing the PowerDNS Recursor process due to a null pointer dereference. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity according to the CVSS vector. The attack requires high privileges and has high complexity, limiting the likelihood of exploitation. No known active exploits have been reported.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, users should consider restricting access to authoritative servers and monitor for unusual Recursor crashes. No vendor advisory or patch links are provided, so no official remediation can be confirmed at this time.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- OX
- Date Reserved
- 2026-03-23T12:57:56.815Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 69e89fe619fe3cd2cd8f5f57
Added to database: 4/22/2026, 10:16:06 AM
Last enriched: 4/22/2026, 10:31:02 AM
Last updated: 4/22/2026, 12:34:05 PM
Views: 7
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