Vulnerability Report

CVE-2016-6172

Title: Powerdns Authoritative Server Denial of Service (DoS)

DoS

Proof Of Concept

No public PoC currently indexed for CVE-2016-6172.

CWE Category CWE-400

Published Date Sep 26, 2016

Modified Date Jun 17, 2026

Exploit Status Not Found

Score 6.8 CVSS v3.0

Exploit Probability (EPSS)

3.82%

Vulnerability Summary

CVE-2016-6172: PowerDNS (aka pdns) Authoritative Server before 4.0.1 allows remote primary DNS servers to cause a denial of service (memory exhaustion and secondary DNS server crash) via a large (1) AXFR or (2) IXFR response.

Impacted Vendors

powerdns 1

Reference Links

http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2016-08/msg00085.html http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3664 http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/06/3 http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91678 http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036242 https://doc.powerdns.com/md/changelog/#powerdns-authoritative-server-401 https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/issues/4128 https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/issues/4133 https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/pull/4134 https://github.com/sischkg/xfer-limit/blob/master/README.md https://lists.dns-oarc.net/pipermail/dns-operations/2016-July/015058.html http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2016-08/msg00085.html http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3664 http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/06/3 http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91678 http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036242 https://doc.powerdns.com/md/changelog/#powerdns-authoritative-server-401 https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/issues/4128 https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/issues/4133 https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/pull/4134 https://github.com/sischkg/xfer-limit/blob/master/README.md https://lists.dns-oarc.net/pipermail/dns-operations/2016-July/015058.html

CVSS v3.0

Source Entity [email protected]

Severity MEDIUM

6.8

Attack Vector

NETWORK

Complexity

HIGH

Privileges

N/A

Interaction

NONE

Confidentiality

N/A

Integrity

N/A

Availability

N/A

Scope

CHANGED

RAW VECTOR CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS v2.0

Source Entity [email protected]

Severity HIGH

7.1

Access Vector

N/A

Authentication

N/A

RAW VECTOR AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C

Associated Attack Patterns (CAPEC)

Total: Patterns

CVE-2016-6172 Exploits & PoCs (Proof Of Concept)

No public PoCs found in our database for this CVE.

June 17, 2026 MODIFIED

Vulnerability data updated via NVD.

May 06, 2026 MODIFIED

Vulnerability data updated via NVD.

April 12, 2025 MODIFIED

Vulnerability data or affected products updated.

September 26, 2016 PUBLISHED

Vulnerability first announced in NVD.

Attack Vector Matrix

Access Vector NETWORK

Complexity HIGH

Privileges N/A

Interaction NONE

CVSS Vector String


                                    CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected Stack

No specific products linked.