The flaw is an out‑of‑bounds read in the Windows DNS Server. An attacker can construct a malicious DNS query that causes the server to read memory beyond the intended buffer, leading the DNS Server process to crash. The crash terminates the service, so clients can no longer resolve names through the affected server. The impact is purely an availability loss: DNS resolution fails, disrupting any services that rely on that server; there is no code execution or data disclosure.

All Microsoft Windows Server releases from 2012 through 2025 that ship with the built‑in DNS Server are impacted. The issue applies to the full desktop editions and Server Core installations, and to all architectures. Administrators should verify whether their environment includes any of: Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022, or 2025, irrespective of installation type.

The CVSS score of 7.5 indicates a high severity level. The EPSS score of 1% shows a very low but non‑zero exploitation probability, and the flaw is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Attackers can trigger the failure by sending crafted DNS requests over the network, so the vector is likely a remote network attack aimed at the vulnerable DNS Server. While only network access is required, the resulting service outage can impact critical infrastructure dependent on DNS resolution.