CVE-2026-50045: CWE-406: Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification) in NLnet Labs Unbound
In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.22.0 up to and including 1.25.1, a single client query for a deeply nested name under a DNSSEC-signed parent can cause Unbound to send more upstream packets per client query than the configured 'max-global-quota'. This effectively bypasses a security configuration that limits upstream amplification traffic.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2026-50045 describes an insufficient control of network message volume (CWE-406) in NLnet Labs Unbound DNS resolver versions 1.22.0 up to and including 1.25.1. The issue arises when a client query for a deeply nested DNS name under a DNSSEC-signed parent causes Unbound to exceed the configured 'max-global-quota' for upstream packets. This effectively bypasses the security configuration intended to limit upstream amplification traffic, potentially allowing increased network message amplification per client query.
Potential Impact
The vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass the configured limit on upstream DNS query amplification, potentially increasing the volume of network traffic generated by Unbound per client query. This could lead to increased network load or contribute to amplification-based denial of service conditions. There is no indication of confidentiality, integrity, or direct availability compromise beyond increased network traffic amplification.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is released, users should monitor for updates from NLnet Labs. No specific temporary mitigations are provided in the available data.
CVE-2026-50045: CWE-406: Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification) in NLnet Labs Unbound
Description
In NLnet Labs Unbound 1.22.0 up to and including 1.25.1, a single client query for a deeply nested name under a DNSSEC-signed parent can cause Unbound to send more upstream packets per client query than the configured 'max-global-quota'. This effectively bypasses a security configuration that limits upstream amplification traffic.
CVSS v3.1
Score 5.3medium
Affected software
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Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-50045 describes an insufficient control of network message volume (CWE-406) in NLnet Labs Unbound DNS resolver versions 1.22.0 up to and including 1.25.1. The issue arises when a client query for a deeply nested DNS name under a DNSSEC-signed parent causes Unbound to exceed the configured 'max-global-quota' for upstream packets. This effectively bypasses the security configuration intended to limit upstream amplification traffic, potentially allowing increased network message amplification per client query.
Potential Impact
The vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass the configured limit on upstream DNS query amplification, potentially increasing the volume of network traffic generated by Unbound per client query. This could lead to increased network load or contribute to amplification-based denial of service conditions. There is no indication of confidentiality, integrity, or direct availability compromise beyond increased network traffic amplification.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is released, users should monitor for updates from NLnet Labs. No specific temporary mitigations are provided in the available data.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- NLnet Labs
- Date Reserved
- 2026-06-22T12:27:22.806Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a60c4229c2644c7f80e9238
Added to database: 07/22/2026, 13:22:42 UTC
Last enriched: 07/22/2026, 13:40:30 UTC
Last updated: 07/22/2026, 21:11:40 UTC
Views: 3
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