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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2016-2120

🗓️ 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com

CVE-2016-2120: PowerDNS Authoritative Server up to 3.4.10 and 4.0.1 may crash from crafted zone record via overflow.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
AlpineLinux
CVE-2016-2120
1 Nov 201813:00
alpinelinux
ArchLinux
[ASA-201701-29] powerdns: multiple issues
19 Jan 201700:00
archlinux
Circl
CVE-2016-2120
1 Nov 201815:20
circl
CVE
CVE-2016-2120
1 Nov 201813:00
cve
Cvelist
CVE-2016-2120
1 Nov 201813:00
cvelist
Debian
[SECURITY] [DLA 798-1] pdns security update
25 Jan 201721:34
debian
Debian
[SECURITY] [DSA 3764-1] pdns security update
13 Jan 201716:48
debian
Debian
[SECURITY] [DSA 3764-1] pdns security update
13 Jan 201716:48
debian
Debian CVE
CVE-2016-2120
1 Nov 201813:00
debiancve
Tenable Nessus
Debian DLA-798-1 : pdns security update
26 Jan 201700:00
nessus
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#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(255075);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2025/08/25");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2016-2120");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2016-2120");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - An issue has been found in PowerDNS Authoritative Server versions up to and including 3.4.10, 4.0.1
    allowing an authorized user to crash the server by inserting a specially crafted record in a zone under
    their control then sending a DNS query for that record. The issue is due to an integer overflow when
    checking if the content of the record matches the expected size, allowing an attacker to cause a read past
    the buffer boundary. (CVE-2016-2120)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-2120");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2016-2120");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2017/01/16");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/08/25");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:pdns");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2025 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-16.04");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Ubuntu Linux-16.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "16.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "pdns"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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25 Aug 2025 00:00Current
6.9Medium risk
Vulners AI Score6.9
CVSS 24
CVSS 36.5 - 7.5
EPSS0.00131
0