simple protocol server ignores accepts unlimited connections and logs failures without limit
avahi · avahi
Official source article: GitHub GHSA-73WF-3XMJ-X82Q ↗. Check the applicable product and release in the original source.
5.5MediumCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Patch only the product branches with a verified fix
Medium technical severity with public exploit material referenced by a structured source; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 4 structured product or package states remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
Published severityMedium→Operational priority:Medium, unchanged from published severity.unchanged
Evidence used
No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
A structured source references public exploit or proof-of-concept material.
Exploitation requires an existing local or physical foothold with privileges.
EPSS is 0.18% for the current model date.
Compensating controls
Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
Restrict local access and enforce least privilege on affected hosts.
Increase monitoring for the attack path and post-exploitation behaviour described in the report.
Verification
Confirm that the asset runs avahi avahi and falls inside the recorded affected range.
Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Cross-source reconciliation
Remediation availability differs by product scope
Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 4 structured product or package states remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
Debian Security Tracker: 4 affected package states with no published fix
Distribution package intelligence
Release-specific package status
Debian, ubuntu findings are scoped to the named distribution, release and source package. An absent finding does not mean a package is unaffected.
5 package states
Package result overrides the generic status
BlackTree has verified remediation for at least one product or source, but the relevant distribution still reports no fixed package for 4 affected package states shown here. Treat those rows as affected with no fix until that distribution publishes a fixed version.
Repository candidate not checked
A published vendor fix does not prove that a matching update is enabled and installable on a particular asset. Confirm the local package candidate before scheduling remediation.
Distribution release
Source package
Vendor state
Fixed version
Evidence
Debian trixietrixie · source
avahi
Affected, no fix publishedDebian currently tracks this release as open.
Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.
The vendor explicitly identifies these products as affected by this CVE.
avahi as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi-compat-howl as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi-compat-howl-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi-compat-libdns_sd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi-compat-libdns_sd-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi-glib as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi-glib-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi-libs as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi-tools as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
avahi as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Summary
A flaw was found in avahi. The simple protocol server ignores the documented client limit and accepts unlimited connections, allowing for easy local Denial of Service.
Remediation
For details on how to apply this update, which includes the changes described in this advisory, refer to: https://images.redhat.com/
Optional official sources
National CERT insights ?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.
Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.
Official European source
ENISA European Vulnerability Database
Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.
1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier
EUVD-2025-204402
No EUVD known-exploited evidence
ENISA has published the identifier mapping but no EUVD description has been stored yet.
EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Not present in the current ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset. This is not proof of no exploitation.
ENISA score
Not supplied in the stored EUVD record
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionPatch only the product branches with a verified fix
Medium technical severity with public exploit material referenced by a structured source; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance. Verified remediation exists for at least one product or source, but 4 structured product or package states remain unresolved. Apply remediation only to the exact product branch confirmed by its source.
Fix availability varies by product
01
What, why and how
Avahi is a system which facilitates service discovery on a local network via the mDNS/DNS-SD protocol suite. In versions up to and including 0.9-rc2, the simple protocol server ignores the documented client limit and accepts unlimited connections, allowing for easy local DoS. Although `CLIENTS_MAX` is defined, `server_work()` unconditionally `accept()`s and `client_new()` always appends the new client and increments `n_clients`. There is no check against the limit. When client cannot be accepted as a result of maximal socket number of avahi-daemon, it logs unconditionally error per each connection. Unprivileged local users can exhaust daemon memory and file descriptors, causing a denial of service system-wide for mDNS/DNS-SD. Exhausting local file descriptors causes increased system load caused by logging errors of each of request. Overloading prevents glibc calls using nss-mdns plugins to resolve `*.local.` names and link-local addresses. As of time of publication, no known patched versions are available, but a candidate fix is available in pull request 808, and some workarounds are available. Simple clients are offered for nss-mdns package functionality. It is not possible to disable the unix socket `/run/avahi-daemon/socket`, but resolution requests received via DBus are not affected directly. Tools avahi-resolve, avahi-resolve-address and avahi-resolve-host-name are not affected, they use DBus interface. It is possible to change permissions of unix socket after avahi-daemon is started. But avahi-daemon does not provide any configuration for it. Additional access restrictions like SELinux can also prevent unwanted tools to access the socket and keep resolution working for trusted users.
What
Avahi is a system which facilitates service discovery on a local network via the mDNS/DNS-SD protocol suite. In versions up to and including 0.9-rc2, the simple protocol server ignores the documented client limit and accepts unlimited connections, allowing for easy local DoS. Although `CLIENTS_MAX` is defined, `server_work()` unconditionally `accept()`s and `client_new()` always appends the new client and increments `n_clients`. There is no check against the limit. When client cannot be accepted as a result of maximal socket number of avahi-daemon, it logs unconditionally error per each connection. Unprivileged local users can exhaust daemon memory and file descriptors, causing a denial of service system-wide for mDNS/DNS-SD. Exhausting local file descriptors causes increased system load caused by logging errors of each of request. Overloading prevents glibc calls using nss-mdns plugins to resolve `*.local.` names and link-local addresses. As of time of publication, no known patched versions are available, but a candidate fix is available in pull request 808, and some workarounds are available. Simple clients are offered for nss-mdns package functionality. It is not possible to disable the unix socket `/run/avahi-daemon/socket`, but resolution requests received via DBus are not affected directly. Tools avahi-resolve, avahi-resolve-address and avahi-resolve-host-name are not affected, they use DBus interface. It is possible to change permissions of unix socket after avahi-daemon is started. But avahi-daemon does not provide any configuration for it. Additional access restrictions like SELinux can also prevent unwanted tools to access the socket and keep resolution working for trusted users.
Why
The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.
How
An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
What
Avahi is a system which facilitates service discovery on a local network via the mDNS/DNS-SD protocol suite. In versions up to and including 0.9-rc2, the simple protocol server ignores the documented client limit and accepts unlimited connections, allowing for easy local DoS. Although `CLIENTS_MAX` is defined, `server_work()` unconditionally `accept()`s and `client_new()` always appends the new client and increments `n_clients`. There is no check against the limit. When client cannot be accepted as a result of maximal socket number of avahi-daemon, it logs unconditionally error per each connection. Unprivileged local users can exhaust daemon memory and file descriptors, causing a denial of service system-wide for mDNS/DNS-SD. Exhausting local file descriptors causes increased system load caused by logging errors of each of request. Overloading prevents glibc calls using nss-mdns plugins to resolve `*.local.` names and link-local addresses. As of time of publication, no known patched versions are available, but a candidate fix is available in pull request 808, and some workarounds are available. Simple clients are offered for nss-mdns package functionality. It is not possible to disable the unix socket `/run/avahi-daemon/socket`, but resolution requests received via DBus are not affected directly. Tools avahi-resolve, avahi-resolve-address and avahi-resolve-host-name are not affected, they use DBus interface. It is possible to change permissions of unix socket after avahi-daemon is started. But avahi-daemon does not provide any configuration for it. Additional access restrictions like SELinux can also prevent unwanted tools to access the socket and keep resolution working for trusted users.
Why
The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.
How
An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation ?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No confirmed evidence
No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material ?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.Reference recorded
A structured CVE source labels at least one public reference as exploit material. BlackTree has not independently validated that it is safe, reliable or weaponised.
Likely attack path
local access → Uncontrolled Resource Consumption → disrupt the affected service
Attack surface
Local
Privileges required
Low: a basic authenticated account is required
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness ?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption. The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.
CVSS vector ?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVLocalAttack vector: The attacker needs local access to the vulnerable system.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRLowPrivileges required: The attacker needs basic user-level privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CNoneConfidentiality impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.INoneIntegrity impact: No direct loss is represented by this metric.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
The issue can support a local privilege or sandbox boundary transition; normal system utilities may then be available in the gained context.
Denial of serviceCWE-400Public exploit reference
A
Official authority intelligence
Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.
Official EUVD record ↗BSI · German · WID-SEC-2025-2898avahi: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Denial of Service
Ein lokaler Angreifer kann eine Schwachstelle in avahi ausnutzen, um einen Denial of Service Angriff durchzuführen.
Official advisory ↗Cyber Security Agency of Singapore · English · CSA-SB-20251224Security Bulletin 24 Dec 2025
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 24 Dec 2025, published on 24 December 2025. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.
Official advisory ↗JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2025-024876Avahiにおけるリソースの枯渇に関する脆弱性
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
Status ?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Use the product-specific evidence above. Patch only products with a verified fixed release, and keep every affected or under-investigation state without a matching fix in the remediation queue.
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. Limit untrusted access and use least privilege until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 18 Dec 2025 · Last source change 19 Dec 2025, 22:04 UTC · CWE-400 · Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.2
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source ?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2025-204402
Product sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD enriched
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
Before
<= 0.9-rc2 · Fixed: An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
After
<= 0.9-rc2 · Fixed: For details on how to apply this update, which includes the changes described in this advisory, refer to: https://images.redhat.com/
Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
Before
avahi as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-compat-howl as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-compat-howl-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-compat-libdns_sd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-compat-libdns_sd-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-glib as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-glib-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-libs as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-tools as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-autoipd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-compat-howl as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-compat-howl-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-compat-libdns_sd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-compat-libdns_sd-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-dnsconfd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-glib as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-glib-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-gobject as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-gobject-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-libs as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-qt3 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-qt3-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-qt4 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-qt4-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-tools as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-ui as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; and 60 more
After
avahi as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-compat-howl as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-compat-howl-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-compat-libdns_sd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-compat-libdns_sd-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-glib as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-glib-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-libs as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi-tools as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; avahi as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-autoipd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-compat-howl as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-compat-howl-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-compat-libdns_sd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-compat-libdns_sd-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-dnsconfd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-glib as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-glib-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-gobject as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-gobject-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-libs as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-qt3 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-qt3-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-qt4 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-qt4-devel as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-tools as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; avahi-ui as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; and 60 more · Fixed: avahi-main@aarch64 as a component of Red Hat Hardened Images; avahi-main@src as a component of Red Hat Hardened Images; avahi-main@x86_64 as a component of Red Hat Hardened Images
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.