CVE-2026-111228: Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences ('CRLF Injection') in Netgate pfSense CE
Description
Netgate pfSense CE from 2.7.1 through 2.9.0 contains a CRLF injection vulnerability in services_unbound_advanced.php that allows authenticated users with DNS Resolver: Advanced privilege to inject Unbound directives. Attackers can embed CR/LF characters in the unvalidated sock_queue_timeout parameter, which is written raw into unbound.conf, to override local records and forwarding for all clients.
CVSS v4.0
Score 5.1medium
Affected software
Netgate
pfSense CE
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AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-111228 is a CRLF injection vulnerability affecting Netgate pfSense CE from versions 2.7.1 through 2.9.0. The flaw exists in the services_unbound_advanced.php script where the sock_queue_timeout parameter is not properly sanitized. Authenticated users with the DNS Resolver: Advanced privilege can inject carriage return and line feed characters into this parameter, which are then written directly into the unbound.conf configuration file. This injection enables attackers to override local DNS records and forwarding rules, potentially impacting DNS resolution for all clients relying on the affected system.
Potential Impact
An attacker with authenticated access and DNS Resolver: Advanced privileges can manipulate DNS resolution by injecting arbitrary Unbound directives. This can lead to overriding local DNS records and forwarding behavior, potentially redirecting or disrupting DNS queries for all clients using the affected pfSense CE instance. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 5.1 (medium severity), reflecting the requirement for high privileges and lack of user interaction.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict access to users with DNS Resolver: Advanced privileges and validate or sanitize inputs to the sock_queue_timeout parameter if possible.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- VulnCheck
- Date Reserved
- 2026-10-15T18:21:22.947Z
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 6ad123be2cdf04f65652b74d
Added to database: 10/15/2026, 19:04:30 UTC
Last enriched: 10/15/2026, 19:19:10 UTC
Last updated: 10/15/2026, 20:34:03 UTC
Views: 8
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