Dangling DNS reference to a retired service
An owned hostname still points to a released provider resource, creating a possible takeover path if provider binding rules permit it.
Candidate CWE: CWE-672
Test hypothesis#
Inspect the exact record chain, resource absence and provider ownership-validation requirements. Use owner inventory and a separate controlled provider fixture to assess the failure mode; do not claim or rebind the target hostname without an approved method.
Evidence required#
DNS answers and timestamps, resource status and documented binding requirements. Mark exploitability unconfirmed if claimability cannot be established.
Rule out false positives#
NXDOMAIN alone, reserved or protected names, required ownership verification, transient provisioning errors and stale cached records.
Playbook and command references#
- DNS, TLS and email trust boundaries — Separate dangling records, transfer/recursion exposure, TLS identity and SMTP relay into controlled protocol tests.
Find the associated command snippets
Referenced by these target playbooks#
Report checklist#
- Capture the affected version, configuration, identities, and object ownership.
- Preserve a valid baseline and a negative control.
- Reproduce the forbidden data access, action, or state change on controlled fixtures.
- Explain the intended security rule and why the observed behavior violates it.
- State prerequisites, uncertainty, cleanup, and the smallest demonstrated impact.
Conditional ATT&CK mapping#
No direct ATT&CK mapping selected. Record the weakness and demonstrated impact without forcing an adversary-behavior classification. See the mapping guide.