Critical Security Update for Kea DHCP Package: Addressing Invalid Character Assertion
Summary
ALSA-2025:21038: Important: kea security update. Affects kea versions < 3.0.1-2.el10_1. Fixed in 3.0.1-2.el10_1. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
Kea is a robust DHCP implementation developed by the Internet Systems Consortium, Inc., providing fully functional DHCPv4, DHCPv6, and Dynamic DNS servers. It supports essential features such as server discovery, address assignment, renewal, rebinding, and release. The DHCPv6 server also facilitates prefix delegation, while both servers utilize a DNS Update mechanism through a stand-alone DDNS daemon. This versatility makes Kea a popular choice for managing IP address allocation in networks.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-11232 arises from the handling of invalid characters within the Kea DHCP package. This flaw can lead to an assertion failure, potentially causing the DHCP server to crash or behave unexpectedly. Such behavior can disrupt network services, leading to downtime and affecting all clients relying on the DHCP server for IP address allocation. The issue underscores the importance of maintaining robust input validation to prevent such vulnerabilities.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
3.0.1-2.el10_1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo dnf update keaTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you may consider implementing input validation on the client side to prevent invalid characters from being sent to the DHCP server. However, this is not a substitute for applying the official patch.
Conclusion
The Kea DHCP package has a critical vulnerability (CVE-2025-11232) that can lead to assertion failures due to invalid character handling. It is crucial to update to the patched version 3.0.1-2.el10_1 to ensure the security and stability of your DHCP services. Regular monitoring and prompt updates are essential to maintain a secure network environment.
See every vulnerability recorded for kea →
FAQ
CVE-2025-11232 is a vulnerability in the Kea DHCP package that allows invalid characters to cause an assertion failure, potentially leading to server crashes.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
Failing to address this vulnerability may result in service disruptions, crashes, and potential downtime for clients relying on the DHCP server.
Yes, Vulert can monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities using just a manifest file like package-lock.json.
If immediate updates are not possible, consider implementing input validation as a temporary workaround to mitigate the risk until you can apply the official patch.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for kea.
