Which products and versions are affected by CVE-2017-13704?

Affected: Dnsmasq (Thekelleys); Ubuntu Linux (Canonical) versions 14.04, 16.04, 17.04; Debian Linux versions 7.0, 7.1, 9.0, among others. The full list is in the CVE brief.

Is CVE-2017-13704 being exploited in the wild?

It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.

Is CVE-2017-13704 in the CISA KEV catalog?

No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Is there a public exploit for CVE-2017-13704?

No public exploit code is known.

Is there a fix for CVE-2017-13704?

Fixed versions are available, including Dnsmasq 2.76-3.ph1, Dnsmasq 2.76-3.ph2, Dnsmasq 2.78-1.

How urgently should CVE-2017-13704 be patched?

Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.

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Vulnerability Intelligence

CVE-2017-13704

High

In dnsmasq before 2.78, if the DNS packet size does not match the expected size, the size parameter in a memset call gets a negative value.

Published Oct 3, 2017 · Updated Aug 4, 2026 · Also known as ALPINE-CVE-2017-13704, DEBIAN-CVE-2017-13704, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-13704

Key Facts

Patch immediately

CVE-2017-13704 is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 7.5 v3.1) affecting Dnsmasq (Thekelleys), Ubuntu Linux (Canonical), Debian Linux and 5 more products.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. No public exploit code is known.
EPSS estimates a 65% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
Fixed versions are available, including Dnsmasq 2.76-3.ph1, Dnsmasq 2.76-3.ph2, Dnsmasq 2.78-1.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.

CVSS v3.1

7.5

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)

65%

Higher than 99.2% of all scored CVEs

Exploited in the wild

No known

Not in a known-exploited catalog

Public exploit code

None known

Get the full CVE-2017-13704 brief as a PDF

Every affected product and fixed release, exploitation status and a first 24 hours response checklist, emailed within minutes.

Description

In dnsmasq before 2.78, if the DNS packet size does not match the expected size, the size parameter in a memset call gets a negative value. As it is an unsigned value, memset ends up writing up to 0xffffffff zero's (0xffffffffffffffff in 64 bit platforms), making dnsmasq crash.

Affected Products

46 affected entries in total

Product	Affected versions	Fixed in
DnsmasqThekelleys	See advisory	2.77
Ubuntu LinuxCanonical	14.04, 16.04, 17.04	n/a
Debian LinuxDebian	7.0, 7.1, 9.0	n/a
FedoraFedoraproject	27	n/a
LeapNovell	42.2, 42.3	n/a

3 more affected products in the full CVE brief

Patched Releases

Dnsmasq

2.76-3.ph1, 2.76-3.ph2, 2.78-1, 2.78-r0, 2.77

Timeline

Publicly disclosed
Oct 3, 2017
Last updated
Aug 4, 2026

Weakness Type

CWE-20 Improper Input Validation
CWE-190 Integer Overflow or Wraparound

References

13 more references in the full CVE brief

FAQ

Common Questions.

In dnsmasq before 2.78, if the DNS packet size does not match the expected size, the size parameter in a memset call gets a negative value.
Affected: Dnsmasq (Thekelleys); Ubuntu Linux (Canonical) versions 14.04, 16.04, 17.04; Debian Linux versions 7.0, 7.1, 9.0, among others. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
No public exploit code is known.
Fixed versions are available, including Dnsmasq 2.76-3.ph1, Dnsmasq 2.76-3.ph2, Dnsmasq 2.78-1.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.

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