CoreDNS is a DNS server that chains plugins. In versions prior to 1.14.3, the transfer plugin can select the wrong ACL stanza when both a parent zone and a more-specific subzone are configured. The longestMatch() function in plugin/transfer/transfer.go uses a lexicographic string comparison instead of an actual longest-suffix match to select the winning zone. As a result, a permissive parent-zone transfer rule can override a restrictive subzone rule depending on zone name ordering (e.g., "example.org." > "a.example.org." lexicographically). This allows an unauthorized remote client to perform AXFR/IXFR for the subzone and retrieve its full zone contents. This issue has been fixed in version 1.14.3.

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-h8mm-c463-wjq3 CoreDNS' transfer stanza selection uses lexicographic compare (subzone ACL bypass)
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Tue, 05 May 2026 21:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Coredns.io
Coredns.io coredns
Vendors & Products Coredns.io
Coredns.io coredns

Tue, 05 May 2026 20:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Tue, 05 May 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description CoreDNS is a DNS server that chains plugins. In versions prior to 1.14.3, the transfer plugin can select the wrong ACL stanza when both a parent zone and a more-specific subzone are configured. The longestMatch() function in plugin/transfer/transfer.go uses a lexicographic string comparison instead of an actual longest-suffix match to select the winning zone. As a result, a permissive parent-zone transfer rule can override a restrictive subzone rule depending on zone name ordering (e.g., "example.org." > "a.example.org." lexicographically). This allows an unauthorized remote client to perform AXFR/IXFR for the subzone and retrieve its full zone contents. This issue has been fixed in version 1.14.3.
Title CoreDNS transfer plugin subzone ACL bypass via lexicographic zone comparison
Weaknesses CWE-863
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.2, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}


Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-05T19:43:06.361Z

Reserved: 2026-03-20T16:16:48.971Z

Link: CVE-2026-33489

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-05-05T19:42:42.960Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-05-05T20:16:36.627

Modified: 2026-05-05T20:16:36.627

Link: CVE-2026-33489

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-05-05T21:30:05Z

Weaknesses