CVE-2026-54478: In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.18.0 up to and including 1.25.1, when Unbound listens on a 'proxy-protocol-port' interface with 'answer-cookie: yes', the RFC 9018 server-cookie SipHash is

lowCVSS 3.7CVE-2026-54478

In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.18.0 up to and including 1.25.1, when Unbound listens on a 'proxy-protocol-port' interface with 'answer-cookie: yes', the RFC 9018 server-cookie SipHash is computed over the proxy's wire address instead of the PROXYv2-declared client. One server cookie obtained through a given proxy node therefore validates for every PROXYv2-declared source behind that node. On a UDP+proxy-protocol front, an off-path attacker can harvest one cookie with a single legitimate query, then replay it under any spoofed source and pass DNS Cookie checks that were deployed to defeat this in the first place.

Details

Source: NVD Recent CVEs (US · database · site)
Severity: low — CVSS 3.7
Published: 2026-07-22
Last updated: 2026-07-24
Exploitation: Not in CISA KEV at last sync

Original advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54478

Exploitation outlook

EPSS (FIRST.org) estimates each CVE’s probability of exploitation in the next 30 days — here is the CSIRTS.com read on those numbers.

Low exploitation riskCVE-2026-544780.18% 30-day exploitation probability — currently an unlikely target, but scores change as exploit code circulates. Riskier than 8% of all scored CVEs.

Referenced CVEs

CVE	CSIRTS overview	External
CVE-2026-54478	coverage & exploitation status	NVD · CVE.org

Same CVEs, other sources

How other CERTs, PSIRTs and databases cover the vulnerabilities in this advisory.

medium[NEW] [medium] Unbound: Multiple vulnerabilitiescert-bund
lowCVE-2026-54478: DNS Cookie bypass when combined with proxy-protocol usemsrc

Recent advisories for In NLnet Labs

A cluster of recent advisories against the same product widens the attack surface — attackers routinely chain freshly published CVEs on one product, so review these together.

mediumCVE-2026-56444: In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.20.0 up to and including 1.25.1, when Unbound is configured with 'serv…nvd · 2026-07-22
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