3.7

CVE-2026-62994: CoreDNS `k8s_external` headless AXFR can emit an empty transfer batch that panics the `transfer` plugin

Analyzed
AliasesGHSA-74w3-63xv-x9mvGO-2026-6805
Published 16-07-2026Last modified 17-07-2026

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-62994 is a low (CVSS 3.7) Uncaught Exception vulnerability in coredns. EPSS estimates a 0.46% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 39.8% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.

Priority
Routine

Not severe (CVSS 3.7, network access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources

Source freshness unavailable

How is this decided?
CVSS score
3.7/10
010
Low · v3.1 (CVE.org)
EPSS score
0.46%
0%100%
Low · 0.00 pp in 30 days
KEVNot listedNot listed by any tracked catalog.
RansomwareNot flaggedNo ransomware use recorded.
Public exploits1github

Timeline

  1. 16-07-2026
    PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
  2. 17-07-2026
    Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

CoreDNS is a DNS server written in Go. From 1.9.4 until 1.14.5, a network DNS client allowed to request AXFR for a CoreDNS zone can trigger a panic when CoreDNS is configured with k8s_external headless-service zone transfers and Kubernetes contains a headless service endpoint with no declared ports; plugin/kubernetes/object/endpoint.go creates Port: -1, plugin/k8s_external/msg_to_dns.go skips that service, plugin/k8s_external/transfer.go sends an empty []dns.RR batch, and plugin/transfer/transfer.go indexes records[0] without checking the batch is non-empty. This issue is fixed in version 1.14.5.

CVSS metrics

3 scores · 3 sources · 1 version

EPSS trend

Probability

0.46%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

40%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

No change 0.00 pp

From 0.46% on 04-10-2026

04-10-202603-11-2026

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEV

Not in the CISA KEV catalog.

ENISA CNW

Not in the ENISA CNW catalog.

CIRCL

Not in the CIRCL catalog.

Public exploits

1 found
  • githubUnverified

    Coredns

    Maturity: poc

Weaknesses

CWE · root cause

Affected systems

Version check

Known conditions: network-reachable, no authentication, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.

Coredns1 product
Coredns.io1 product
Github.com/coredns1 product
  • coredns≥ 1.9.4, < 1.14.5

3 vendors · 3 products

References

6 links