CVE-2026-55717: In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.10.0 up to and including 1.25.1, when 'serve-expired: yes' is set together with a 'response-ip: redirect' /'response-ip-data: CNAME ' ru

mediumCVSS 5.9CVE-2026-55717

In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.10.0 up to and including 1.25.1, when 'serve-expired: yes' is set together with a 'response-ip: <net> redirect' /'response-ip-data: <net> CNAME <target>' rule (or the RPZ 'rpz-cname-override' equivalent), a remote client who controls any delegated domain can crash the daemon. The serve-expired-client-timeout callback runs a two-pass loop to chase the respip-generated CNAME alias; on the second pass it resets 'alias_rrset' but not 'partial_rep'. Later, this inconsistency leads to a NULL pointer dereference and an eventual crash. A malicious actor can exploit the vulnerability by controlling any zone that replies with an A/AAAA record that falls inside the configured response-ip/rpz subnet. By delaying the answer when the previous record has expired, the vulnerable path of 'serve-expired-client-timeout' is taken leading to denial of service via the server crash.

Details

Source: NVD Recent CVEs (US · database · site)
Severity: medium — CVSS 5.9
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-2026-55717

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-2026-557170.24% 30-day exploitation probability — currently an unlikely target, but scores change as exploit code circulates. Riskier than 15% of all scored CVEs.

Referenced CVEs

CVE	CSIRTS overview	External
CVE-2026-55717	coverage & exploitation status	NVD · CVE.org

Same CVEs, other sources

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

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
mediumCVE-2026-56416: In NLnet Labs Unbound up to and including version 1.25.1, when the validator builds the canoni…nvd · 2026-07-22
mediumCVE-2026-55991: In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.22.0 up to and including 1.25.1, a remote unauthenticated client can t…nvd · 2026-07-22
mediumCVE-2026-55990: In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.7.0 up to and including 1.25.1, when the 'dnscrypt:' clause lists more…nvd · 2026-07-22
highCVE-2026-55973: In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.23.0 up to and including 1.25.1, when 'dns-error-reporting: yes' is se…nvd · 2026-07-22
lowCVE-2026-55708: In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.6.0 up to and including 1.25.1, the 'view_local_data' and 'view_local_…nvd · 2026-07-22