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TI-2025-38675 Aliases CVE-2025-62408

c-ares has a Use After Free vulnerability when connection is cleaned up after error

Priority LOW 27CWE-416Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
High
Impact type
Denial of service
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 1 fixed, 6 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

c-ares is an asynchronous resolver library. Versions 1.32.3 through 1.34.5 terminate a query after maximum attempts when using read_answer() and process_answer(), which can cause a Denial of Service. This issue is fixed in version 1.34.6.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00427 37th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 1 fixed, 6 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
c-aresc-ares> 1.32.3, < 1.34.6—No fix listedCNA
  • c-ares Vendorc-ares Affected > 1.32.3, < 1.34.6 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:c-ares:c-ares:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.32.3 to before 1.34.6Vulnerablec-ares
  • cpe:2.3:a:c-ares:c-ares:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.32.3 to before 1.34.6 Vulnerable ·c-ares

Remediation

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • RHSA-2026:7414 Released 2026-04-10 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    Red Hat Hardened Images RPMs bug fix and enhancement update
    • Red Hat Hardened Images c-ares-1.34.6-3.1.hum1@aarch64, c-ares-1.34.6-3.1.hum1@src, c-ares-1.34.6-3.1.hum1@x86_64 +2

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Hardened ImagesFixed RHSA-2026:7414

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-62408

References

Patch 2

  • TI-2020-14305 Buffer overflow vulnerability in c-ares before 1_16_1 thru 1_17_0 via function… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.9
  • TI-2016-04481 Heap-based buffer overflow in the ares_create_query function in c-ares 1.x before 1.12.0… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2017-14601 The c-ares function `ares_parse_naptr_reply()`, which is used for parsing NAPTR… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2024-16857 c-ares out of bounds read in ares__read_line() CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.5
  • TI-2020-11224 Buffer overflow in c-ares CVSS 3.1LOW 3.3

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences