Query amplification in Hickory DNS via irrelevant CNAME records
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-400.
Summary
Hickory DNS from 0.25.0 before 0.26.2 has a flaw in its hickory-resolver component that causes unnecessary resolver work. The resolver follows irrelevant CNAME records while resolving recursive queries, which is tracked as CWE-400. A remote attacker who controls DNS responses can place CNAME records in the authority or additional sections, or outside the original query name's CNAME chain, to trigger excess queries and query amplification. The CVSS 4.0 vector shows no authentication or user interaction is needed, with impact limited to availability.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-08
Description from the CNA
The hickory-resolver component of Hickory DNS 0.25.0 before 0.26.2 follows irrelevant CNAME records when resolving recursive queries, sending queries that are unnecessary to answer the original request. Attackers controlling DNS responses can include CNAME records in the authority or additional sections, or outside the original query name's CNAME chain, causing excess resolver queries and increased query amplification.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hickory-dns | hickory-dns | 0.25.0 to before 0.26.2 | 0.26.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- hickory-dns Vendorhickory-dns Affected 0.25.0 to before 0.26.2 Fixed in 0.26.2 Patch available CNA
Remediation
Upgrade hickory-dns to version 0.26.2 or later. The sources list no advisory identifier for this fix.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-08
- Fix · CNA hickory-dns (hickory-dns) Fixed in 0.26.2
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
hickory-dns 0.26.2
36 records Highest priority Priority LOW 36 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2026-86748 Resource exhaustion in hickory-dns recursor via glueless NS referralsPriority LOW 38
- TI-2026-86746 Unbounded retry loop in Hickory DNS resolver enables resource exhaustionPriority LOW 38
- TI-2026-86730 Denial of service in Hickory DNS recursive resolver via empty poolPriority LOW 38
Timeline
- 2026-11-08 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-123585
- 2026-11-08 Alias added: GHSA-qw4x-w9jf-pmv6
- 2026-11-09 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
References
More hickory-dns vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-18857 DNSSEC validation may accept broken authentication chains CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.7
- TI-2026-63089 hickory-resolver before 0.26.2 DNSSEC Validation Bypass CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-86750 CPU exhaustion in Hickory DNS hickory-proto via BinEncoder name compression CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-86749 Hickory DNS NSEC3 validation loop enables denial of service CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-86748 Resource exhaustion in hickory-dns recursor via glueless NS referrals CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-86746 Unbounded retry loop in Hickory DNS resolver enables resource exhaustion CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
Sources
- CVE-2026-123585 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-123585 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-qw4x-w9jf-pmv6 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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