MEDIUM CVSS 6.1
Published: 2018-01-23

CVE-2017-15092

powerdns recursor Security Advisory (CVE-2017-15092)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2017-15092 impacting powerdns recursor. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 6.1 (MEDIUM).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
A cross-site scripting issue has been found in the web interface of PowerDNS Recursor from 4.0.0 up to and including 4.0.6, where the qname of DNS queries was displayed without any escaping, allowing a remote attacker to inject HTML and Javascript code into the web interface, altering the content.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
Required (UI:R)
User must click or open resource
Scope
Changed (S:C)
Impacts components beyond caller authority
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
Low (I:L)
Partial data modification possible
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product powerdns / recursor
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-79

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2017-15092 impacting powerdns recursor.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2017-15092.yaml
id: cve-2017-15092

info:
  name: powerdns recursor - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: medium
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2017-15092 affecting powerdns recursor.
    Evaluation: A cross-site scripting issue has been found in the web interface of PowerDNS Recursor from 4.0.0 up to and including 4.0.6, where the qname of DNS que...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2017-15092
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
    cvss-score: 6.1
    cve-id: CVE-2017-15092
    cwe-id: CWE-79
  tags: cve,cve-2017-15092,powerdns,recursor,medium

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "recursor"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2017-15092.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2017-15092
# Target: powerdns recursor | CVSS: 6.1 (MEDIUM)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2017-15092 (powerdns recursor)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against powerdns recursor scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2017-15092.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2017-15092
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install recursor 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade recursor 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update recursor

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i recursor 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i recursor

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2017-15092 in powerdns recursor?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update powerdns recursor packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2017-15092?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2017-15092?

CVE-2017-15092 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 6.1 (MEDIUM). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
6.1
MEDIUM SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2017-15092
Weakness CWE-79
Vendor powerdns
Product recursor
Published 2018-01-23
Vector CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N