CVE-2026-81634 PUBLISHED

Possible heap buffer overflow during DNSSEC canonicalization

Assigner: NLnet Labs
Reserved: 07.09.2026 Published: 16.09.2026 Updated: 16.09.2026

In NLnet Labs Unbound up to and including 1.26.0, a 255 length query name with a large TCP response can lead to a heap buffer overflow during the RRSet canonicalisation routine. This is caused by missing to add the first owner name into the buffer length check. A malicious actor operating a malicious name server or tampering with an incoming response to Unbound (canonicalisation happens before DNSSEC validation), can trigger the vulnerability.

Metrics

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS Score: 7.5

Product Status

Vendor NLnet Labs
Product Unbound
Versions Default: unaffected
  • affected from 0 to 1.26.1 (excl.)

Solutions

This issue is fixed starting with version 1.26.1

Credits

  • Vlatko Kosturjak (Marlink Cyber) finder

References

Problem Types

  • CWE-122: Heap-based Buffer Overflow CWE