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TI-2026-44995 Aliases CVE-2026-62994GHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mv

CoreDNS `k8s_external` headless AXFR can emit an empty transfer batch that panics the `transfer` plugin

Priority MEDIUM 51CWE-248Published · 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 · Low
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-248.

Summary

CoreDNS is a DNS server written in Go. From 1.9.4 until 1.14.5, a network DNS client allowed to request AXFR for a CoreDNS zone can trigger a panic when CoreDNS is configured with k8s_external headless-service zone transfers and Kubernetes contains a headless service endpoint with no declared ports; plugin/kubernetes/object/endpoint.go creates Port: -1, plugin/k8s_external/msg_to_dns.go skips that service, plugin/k8s_external/transfer.go sends an empty []dns.RR batch, and plugin/transfer/transfer.go indexes records[0] without checking the batch is non-empty. This issue is fixed in version 1.14.5.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00459 40th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Partial coredns (coredns): 1.14.5github.com/coredns/coredns (Go): 1.14.5Red Hat: 2 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Poc
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
corednscoredns1.9.4 to before 1.14.51.14.5Patch availableCNA
—github.com/coredns/coredns (Go)1.9.4 to before 1.14.51.14.5Patch availableGHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mv
  • coredns Vendorcoredns Affected 1.9.4 to before 1.14.5 Fixed in 1.14.5 Patch available CNA
  • github.com/coredns/coredns (Go) Vendor— Affected 1.9.4 to before 1.14.5 Fixed in 1.14.5 Patch available GHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mv

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:coredns.io:coredns:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.9.4 to before 1.14.5Vulnerablecoredns
  • cpe:2.3:a:coredns.io:coredns:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.9.4 to before 1.14.5 Vulnerable ·coredns

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA coredns (coredns) Fixed in 1.14.5
  • Fix · GHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mv github.com/coredns/coredns (Go) Fixed in 1.14.5 Advisory →

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

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

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat Connectivity Link 1

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-62994
  2. 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mv
  3. 2026-10-18 Fix available: Go/github.com/coredns/[email protected] · GHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mv
  4. 2026-10-18 CVSS score added · GHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mv
  5. 2026-10-18 Weakness changed · GHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mv
  6. 2026-10-18 6 new references · GHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mv

References

Exploit 1

Patch 2

Advisory 1

Other 2

  • TI-2026-25615 CoreDNS TSIG authentication bypass on encrypted DNS transports CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-25384 CoreDNS DoH GET path missing size validation causes CPU and memory amplification CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-25382 CoreDNS DNS-over-QUIC unbounded goroutine growth leads to denial of service CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-27682 CoreDNS TSIG authentication bypass on gRPC, QUIC, DoH, and DoH3 transports CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.2
  • TI-2026-25885 CoreDNS transfer plugin subzone ACL bypass via lexicographic zone comparison CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.2
  • TI-2026-44486 NULL pointer dereference in coredns CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
See all 15 →

Sources

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