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major vulnerability· requires attention

DNS resolver cache poisoning could disrupt core infrastructure and affect many organizations; widely impactful.

Networks

CVE-2025-59023

8.2
High
EPSS 0.28%Patch availableFeb 10, 2026

DNS recursor cache poisoning via crafted delegations or IP fragments

common questions

Is CVE-2025-59023 being exploited?

Not confirmed. CVE-2025-59023 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.28% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How severe is CVE-2025-59023?

CVE-2025-59023 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.2. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.

Is there a patch for CVE-2025-59023?

Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2025-59023. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.

What does CVE-2025-59023 affect?

CVE-2025-59023 affects DNS resolvers, Caching DNS servers, Recursor implementations. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.

What should I do about CVE-2025-59023?

Patch when released; monitor DNS traffic and cache activity.

Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.

executive summary
technical analysis
affected
DNS resolversCaching DNS serversRecursor implementations
impact

Remote cache poisoning of DNS recursor enables redirection to attacker-controlled hosts.

action required

Patch when possible

affected versions
PowerDNS Recursor
  • affected>= 5.3.0 and < 5.3.1
  • affected>= 5.2.0 and < 5.2.6
  • affected>= 5.1.0 and < 5.1.8

As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.

how to fix
Remediation steps are tailored for users whose stack is affected. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
references
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