CVE-2026-78301
Description
A flaw was found in BIND, a widely used Domain Name System (DNS) software. A remote attacker could exploit this by introducing a specially crafted, malformed DNS zone into an authoritative BIND server. This action could cause the server to incorrectly delegate authority for parts of its own configured zones. As a result, if the server also performs recursive lookups, it might cache incorrect information provided by the attacker, leading to DNS cache poisoning and potentially redirecting users to malicious websites or services.
Statement
Moderate impact. BIND servers configured for both authoritative and recursive functions are vulnerable to DNS cache poisoning. An attacker who can insert a malformed zone, for example via zone transfer, can cause the server to cache attacker-supplied data for names outside the configured zone.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, Red Hat recommends separating authoritative and recursive DNS functions onto different BIND instances or servers. This prevents a compromised authoritative zone from affecting recursive queries. Additionally, restrict zone transfer sources to trusted hosts only by configuring `allow-transfer` directives within your `named.conf` zone definitions. After modifying `named.conf`, the BIND service must be reloaded for changes to take effect, which may temporarily interrupt DNS resolution.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.8 | N/A | 5.8 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | High |
| Privileges Required | High | N/A | High |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Changed | N/A | Changed |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | None |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | None | N/A | None |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability,Access Control,Non-Repudiation
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; Bypass Protection Mechanism; Hide Activities
Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure what something means? Check out our Security Glossary.
Want to get errata notifications? Sign up here.
