CVE-2023-50868
HIGHEPSS 100th pctlDescription
The Closest Encloser Proof aspect of the DNS protocol (in RFC 5155 when RFC 9276 guidance is skipped) allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption for SHA-1 computations) via DNSSEC responses in a random subdomain attack, aka the "NSEC3" issue. The RFC 5155 specification implies that an algorithm must perform thousands of iterations of a hash function in certain situations.
How to fix
This vulnerability affects an unusually large number of packages. The highest-confidence fixes are shown above; the full list is longer. Check the referenced advisories for complete coverage.
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 100% of all known CVEs.
References
- access.redhat.com
- docs.powerdns.com
- lists.debian.org
- lists.debian.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- security.netapp.com
- lists.debian.org
- lists.debian.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
- lists.fedoraproject.org
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-400 (Resource Exhaustion) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2023-44487 | High | 7.5 | 100% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2021-44228 | Critical | 10.0 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
| CVE-2011-3192 | High | 7.8 | 99% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2019-11478 | Medium | 5.3 | 95% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2023-21547 | High | 7.5 | 89% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2024-25617 | Medium | 5.3 | 89% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2023-50868?
Published advisories record a fix for 136 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2023-50868 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2023-50868 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 81.7% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 100% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2023-50868?
CVE-2023-50868 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.5, rated high. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2023-50868 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for bind9 (Debian), Windows Server 2012 (Windows), Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation) (Windows), Windows Server 2012 R2 (Windows), and 132 more. The list on this page is capped, so there may be more.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2025-12-23.