An attacker may be able to trigger a use‑after‑free by sending specially crafted DNS queries to a DNSdist server that contains custom Lua code which invokes DNSQuestion:getEDNSOptions. When DNSQuestion:getEDNSOptions attempts to parse the EDNS options of a packet that has already been modified, a use‑after‑free can occur, causing the process to crash. The crash terminates the DNSdist instance, rendering the DNS service unavailable for legitimate users.

The vulnerability affects PowerDNS DNSdist whenever custom Lua code calls DNSQuestion:getEDNSOptions. No specific version information is given, so all versions that expose this Lua API and run such code may be impacted unless patched separately. Administrators should verify the deployed DNSdist version and review any Lua scripts that inspect EDNS options.

The CVSS score of 4.8 denotes moderate severity. No EPSS data or KEV listing is available, implying limited known exploitation but a potential risk. The attack vector is inferred to be remote, unauthenticated, through crafted DNS traffic sent to the server, as the exploit relies on DNS queries. Although it does not enable code execution, the resulting denial of service could disrupt DNS availability, especially in highly available or critical infrastructures.