CVE-2020-8617

Read full 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.

CVSS 7.5 (HIGH)

Attention and evidence

HYPE SCORE

0.0/10

REALITY · THREAT PRIORITY

5.4/10

General review priority; not probability

Evidence confidence: PoC published; attacks unconfirmed

Why this priority?

Technical severity: CVSS 7.5: +2.62
Fresh EPSS: 93.33%: +2.33
Published PoC; attacks unconfirmed: +0.40

General review priority, not probability, victim count or asset-specific risk. A range covers missing CVSS/EPSS inputs within the current evidence state.

Based on public data to date.

Hype components

Headline sample (25%)

0/100

Press, 30 days (60%)

0/100

Grounded branding (15%)

0/100

HYPE TOTAL0/100

Sources and documents

No source documents yet.

Score evolution

● Hype ● Reality

Earlier evidence-support scores are retained in history; this chart shows only the current priority definition.

First record: hype 0.0 · reality 5.4 (2026-11-02 15:12). The curve appears once the score changes.

Public exploit evidence

Public exploit entries / repo candidates

Source entries and unverified repository candidates are counted separately.

Public exploit evidence

exploitdb #48521 2020-05-20

Evidence context and dated references

Reality is general threat/review priority, combining observed exploitation, CVSS severity and fresh EPSS. Evidence confidence is separate. This is not calibrated risk, a victim count or an asset-specific assessment. A range reflects missing numeric inputs.

Evidence in context

Confidence in exploitation evidence: PoC published; attacks unconfirmed
Priority basis: Exploitation in attacks unconfirmed; CVSS 7.5; EPSS 93.3%
Attention, last 30 days: 0 distinct story titles; 0 press documents; 0 publisher domains.
Technical potential: network access, no prior privileges, no user interaction.
Observed activity: Public PoC evidence is present.
Known scale: Not quantified.
Evidence confidence basis: Published PoC artifact; functionality unverified

Score evaluated: 2026-11-05 13:58:20.659321+00:00 · EPSS snapshot: 2026-11-11T12:00:22Z

Source event timeline

Published

19 May 2020, 14:05

Score calculated

05 Nov 2026, 13:58

PoCs on GitHub

1 repositories