Read the docs

DNSSEC validation bypass in Hickory DNS via missing RFC 6840 checks

Priority MEDIUM 51CWE-345Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
High
Attack requirements
Present
Impact type
Security bypass
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · High · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-345.

Summary

Hickory DNS hickory-net from 0.26.0-beta.1 before 0.26.2 and hickory-proto through 0.26.0-alpha.1 are affected. They fail to verify, as RFC 6840 requires, that an NSEC or NSEC3 record denying a DS record also proves the delegation's NS record exists (CWE-345). A remote attacker without privileges or user interaction can reuse child-side NSEC or NSEC3 records to fake an insecure delegation and forge child-zone records.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-08

Description from the CNA

Hickory DNS hickory-net 0.26.0-beta.1 before 0.26.2 and hickory-proto through 0.26.0-alpha.1 fail to verify, per RFC 6840 §4.4, that an NSEC or NSEC3 record denying a DS RRset also proves the delegation's NS record exists. Attackers can reuse child-side NSEC or NSEC3 records to fake an insecure delegation and forge child-zone records.

Why it matters now

Fix Fixed hickory-dns (hickory-dns): 0.26.2

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
hickory-dnshickory-dns0.26.0-beta.1 to before 0.26.20.26.2Patch availableCNA
hickory-dnshickory-dnsup to 0.26.0-alpha.1—No fix listedCNA
  • hickory-dns Vendorhickory-dns Affected 0.26.0-beta.1 to before 0.26.2 Fixed in 0.26.2 Patch available CNA
  • hickory-dns Vendorhickory-dns Affected up to 0.26.0-alpha.1 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

Remediation

Upgrade hickory-net to 0.26.2, which fixes this flaw. The sources list no fixed version for hickory-proto.

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 MEDIUM 36 MEDIUM

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2026-86729 DNSSEC nonexistence forgery in Hickory DNS via wraparound NSECPriority MEDIUM 54
    • TI-2026-86748 Resource exhaustion in hickory-dns recursor via glueless NS referralsPriority MEDIUM 53
    • TI-2026-86747 DNSSEC validation bypass in Hickory DNS via RRSIG signer namePriority MEDIUM 53

Timeline

  1. 2026-11-08 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-123591
  2. 2026-11-08 Alias added: GHSA-6fg5-mp7g-rgj8

References

  • TI-2025-18857 DNSSEC validation may accept broken authentication chains CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 5.7
  • TI-2026-86729 DNSSEC nonexistence forgery in Hickory DNS via wraparound NSEC CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.9
  • 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-2026-86747 DNSSEC validation bypass in Hickory DNS via RRSIG signer name CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
See all 40 →

Sources