CVE-2026-55990: Packet of death for a DNSCrypt misconfigured Unbound
In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.7.0 up to and including 1.25.1, when the 'dnscrypt:' clause lists more 'dnscrypt-provider-cert:' files than there are matching 'dnscrypt-secret-key:' files, Unbound fills only the matched prefix and leaves the tail slots at the '0xdb' fill that libsodium's allocator writes into every allocation. Unbound would then iterate over the number of cert files, not the actual slots, so it walks into a slot with garbage data filled with '0xdb' bytes. Any unauthenticated client that sends one UDP datagram of ≥ 68 bytes whose first 8 bytes are '0xdb' to 'dnscrypt-port' will use that garbage entry which leads to a garbage dereference killing the server. This is a silent faulty configuration that goes unnoticed until triggered with the right client query. Unbound needs to be compiled with DNSCrypt support ('--enable-dnscrypt').
Other sources
Packet of death for a DNSCrypt misconfigured Unbound
— Microsoft
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 1.25.2-1 - Upgrade
Upgrade
NLnet Labs Unboundto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 1.25.2 - Configuration
Ensure Unbound is compiled with DNSCrypt support using the build flag "--enable-dnscrypt" (DNSCrypt support is required for the affected "dnscrypt:" clause parsing/iteration behavior).
Unbound (compiled build) DNSCrypt support (--enable-dnscrypt) = enabled
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-55990?
The severity of CVE-2026-55990 is rated as medium with a score of 5.9.
How do I fix CVE-2026-55990?
To fix CVE-2026-55990, ensure that the number of 'dnscrypt-provider-cert:' files matches the number of 'dnscrypt-secret-key:' files in the configuration.
What software is affected by CVE-2026-55990?
CVE-2026-55990 affects NLnet Labs Unbound versions from 1.7.0 up to and including 1.25.1.
What is the risk associated with CVE-2026-55990?
CVE-2026-55990 carries a risk score of 35, indicating a medium level of risk.
What is the primary issue described in CVE-2026-55990?
The primary issue in CVE-2026-55990 involves improper handling of unmatched 'dnscrypt-provider-cert:' files leading to potential vulnerabilities.