# CVE-2026-24028: PowerDNS DNSdist out-of-bounds read in Lua DNS packet parsing

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-24028-powerdns-dnsdist-out-of-bounds-read-in-lua-dns-packet-parsing  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-03-31. Updated: 2026-07-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-24028 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-03-31

PowerDNS DNSdist, a load balancer for DNS traffic, is vulnerable to a flaw that could allow an attacker to crash the service or potentially access sensitive memory. This occurs when the system uses specific custom scripts to process DNS traffic. An exploit could lead to a service outage or the exposure of internal system information.

Technologies: [Powerdns Dnsdist](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/dnsdist). Vendors: [Powerdns](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/powerdns).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-24028 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-24028 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-24028?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 31 March 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Powerdns Dnsdist 1.9.0 to 1.9.11, 2.0.0 to 2.0.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-24028?** A patch was published on 2026-03-31: Fixed versions 1.9.12 and 2.0.3 released Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-24028 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a hosted service.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-24028?** Check whether you run Powerdns Dnsdist at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A buffer over-read (CWE-126) exists in PowerDNS DNSdist when the 'newDNSPacketOverlay' Lua function is used to parse DNS packets. An attacker can trigger this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted DNS response packet. The root cause is located in the Lua DNS parser module (specifically dnsparser.hh). Successful exploitation can result in a process crash (Denial of Service) or the reading of unrelated memory (Information Disclosure). The vulnerability affects versions 1.9.0 through 1.9.11 and 2.0.0 through 2.0.2; it is fixed in versions 1.9.12 and 2.0.3.

## Affected products

- PowerDNS DNSdist 1.9.0 to 1.9.11, 2.0.0 to 2.0.2

## Timeline

- 2026-02-11: disclosed: Discovery date
- 2026-03-31: advisory: Vendor advisory published
- 2026-03-31: patched: Fixed versions 1.9.12 and 2.0.3 released

## References

- [https://repo.powerdns.com/](https://repo.powerdns.com/)
- [https://www.dnsdist.org/security-advisories/powerdns-advisory-for-dnsdist-2026-02.html](https://www.dnsdist.org/security-advisories/powerdns-advisory-for-dnsdist-2026-02.html)

## Related threats

- [PowerDNS DNSdist EDNS options smuggling in EDNS processing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-42004-powerdns-dnsdist-edns-options-smuggling-in-edns-processing)
- [PowerDNS DNSdist denial of service in DNS over HTTP/3](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40211-powerdns-dnsdist-denial-of-service-in-dns-over-http-3)
- [PowerDNS DNSdist out-of-bounds read in SetMacAddrAction](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40210-powerdns-dnsdist-out-of-bounds-read-in-setmacaddraction)
- [PowerDNS DNSdist denial of service via IXFR queries](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40209-powerdns-dnsdist-denial-of-service-via-ixfr-queries)
- [PowerDNS DNSdist denial of service in DoH3 queries](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40208-powerdns-dnsdist-denial-of-service-in-doh3-queries)