Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in dnsmasq Affects Network Services

CVE-2026-5172

What is CVE-2026-5172?

A buffer overflow vulnerability in the extract_addresses() function of dnsmasq can be exploited by attackers through malformed DNS responses. This can lead to a heap out-of-bounds read, resulting in potential crashes and disruption of network services. By advancing the pointer beyond the record's end, the vulnerability poses significant risks to system stability and data integrity, emphasizing the need for immediate patching to safeguard against such exploits.

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