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CVE-2020-8617

A logic error in code which checks TSIG validity can be used to trigger an assertion failure in tsig.c

CVSS 3.1 High 7.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Description

Using a specially-crafted message, an attacker may potentially cause a BIND server to reach an inconsistent state if the attacker knows (or successfully guesses) the name of a TSIG key used by the server. Since BIND, by default, configures a local session key even on servers whose configuration does not otherwise make use of it, almost all current BIND servers are vulnerable. In releases of BIND dating from March 2018 and after, an assertion check in tsig.c detects this inconsistent state and deliberately exits. Prior to the introduction of the check the server would continue operating in an inconsistent state, with potentially harmful results.

Official description from the CVE record, published by isc. Copyright © 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. See /security/cve/legal for the CVE license. View the record on cve.org

Key data

CVSS 3.1 High 7.5

Score published by isc in the CVE record.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

  • Attack vector: Network

    The vulnerable component can be reached over a network, possibly from the Internet.

  • Attack complexity: Low

    No special conditions are needed. The attack can be repeated at will.

  • Privileges required: None

    No account or privileges are needed.

  • User interaction: None

    No action from any user is needed.

  • Scope: Unchanged

    The impact stays within the vulnerable component.

  • Confidentiality impact: None

    No effect on the secrecy of data.

  • Integrity impact: None

    No effect on the trustworthiness of data.

  • Availability impact: High

    Serious or total effect on availability.

CVSS is owned and managed by FIRST.Org, Inc. (FIRST) and is used by permission. Each CVSS score on this site is shown together with its vector string, as published in the CVE record by the source named next to it. Learn more at first.org/cvss.

EPSS

Exploit Prediction Scoring System by FIRST: an estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days.
Score
0.93332 (93.3% probability)
Percentile
99.8%
Scores of
Nov 10, 2026
Model
v2026.06.15

Affected products

Products listed in the CVE record, as the CNA published them.

  • ISC BIND9

    • affected: 9.0.0 -> 9.11.18, 9.12.0 -> 9.12.4-P2, 9.14.0 -> 9.14.11, 9.16.0 -> 9.16.2, and releases 9.17.0 -> 9.17.1 of the 9.17 experimental development branch. All releases in the obsolete 9.13 and 9.15 develo

References

Links listed in the CVE record. They lead to other sites, which CubePath does not control.

Timeline

  1. ID reserved
  2. Record published
  3. Record last updated

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Data from the CVE Program (MITRE), CISA KEV and FIRST EPSS. CVSS is owned by FIRST and used by permission. Not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE, CISA or FIRST. Data as of Nov 10, 2026, 19:50 UTC. Sources and licenses