CVE-2021-25216: ISC BIND TKEY Query Integer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
In BIND 9.5.0 -> 9.11.29, 9.12.0 -> 9.16.13, and versions BIND 9.11.3-S1 -> 9.11.29-S1 and 9.16.8-S1 -> 9.16.13-S1 of BIND Supported Preview Edition, as well as release versions 9.17.0 -> 9.17.1 of the BIND 9.17 development branch, BIND servers are vulnerable if they are running an affected version and are configured to use GSS-TSIG features. In a configuration which uses BIND's default settings the vulnerable code path is not exposed, but a server can be rendered vulnerable by explicitly setting values for the tkey-gssapi-keytab or tkey-gssapi-credential configuration options. Although the default configuration is not vulnerable, GSS-TSIG is frequently used in networks where BIND is integrated with Samba, as well as in mixed-server environments that combine BIND servers with Active Directory domain controllers. For servers that meet these conditions, the ISC SPNEGO implementation is vulnerable to various attacks, depending on the CPU architecture for which BIND was built: For named binaries compiled for 64-bit platforms, this flaw can be used to trigger a buffer over-read, leading to a server crash. For named binaries compiled for 32-bit platforms, this flaw can be used to trigger a server crash due to a buffer overflow and possibly also to achieve remote code execution. We have determined that standard SPNEGO implementations are available in the MIT and Heimdal Kerberos libraries, which support a broad range of operating systems, rendering the ISC implementation unnecessary and obsolete. Therefore, to reduce the attack surface for BIND users, we will be removing the ISC SPNEGO implementation in the April releases of BIND 9.11 and 9.16 (it had already been dropped from BIND 9.17). We would not normally remove something from a stable ESV (Extended Support Version) of BIND, but since system libraries can replace the ISC SPNEGO implementation, we have made an exception in this case for reasons of stability and security.
Other sources
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of ISC BIND. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the handling of TKEY queries. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in an integer overflow before allocating a buffer. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the "bind" user.
Affected Software
Remediation
Information
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2021-25216?
CVE-2021-25216 is a vulnerability in BIND, a DNS server software, which allows remote code execution due to an integer overflow in TKEY query handling.
Which versions of BIND are affected by CVE-2021-25216?
Versions of BIND from 9.5.0 to 9.11.29, 9.12.0 to 9.16.13, and 9.17.0 to 9.17.1, as well as supported preview editions, are affected by CVE-2021-25216.
What is the severity of CVE-2021-25216?
CVE-2021-25216 has a severity rating of 9.8 (Critical) based on CVSS v3.1.
How can I fix CVE-2021-25216?
To fix CVE-2021-25216, upgrade to the patched versions of BIND: 9.11.5.P4+dfsg-5.1+deb10u7 or later, 9.16.15-1 or later.
Where can I find more information about CVE-2021-25216?
You can find more information about CVE-2021-25216 at the following references: [Link 1](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/04/29/1), [Link 2](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/04/29/2), [Link 3](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/04/29/3).