CVE-2026-5946: isc bind Improper Input Validation

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-5946 is a high (CVSS 7.5) Improper Input Validation vulnerability in isc bind. EPSS estimates a 1.70% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 76.8% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 20-05-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 17-09-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Multiple flaws have been identified in `named` related to the handling of DNS messages whose CLASS is not Internet (`IN`) — for example, `CHAOS` or `HESIOD`, or DNS messages that specify meta-classes (`ANY` or `NONE`) in the question section. Specially crafted requests reaching the affected code paths — recursion, dynamic updates (`UPDATE`), zone change notifications (`NOTIFY`), or processing of `IN`-specific record types in non-`IN` data — can cause assertion failures in `named`. This issue affects BIND 9 versions 9.11.0 through 9.16.50, 9.18.0 through 9.18.48, 9.20.0 through 9.20.22, 9.21.0 through 9.21.21, 9.11.3-S1 through 9.16.50-S1, 9.18.11-S1 through 9.18.48-S1, and 9.20.9-S1 through 9.20.22-S1.

• CWE-20Improper Input ValidationThe product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.
• CWE-125Out-of-bounds ReadThe product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
• CWE-617Reachable AssertionThe product contains an assert() or similar statement that can be triggered by an attacker, which leads to an application exit or other behavior that is more severe than necessary.
• CWE-754Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional ConditionsThe product does not check or incorrectly checks for unusual or exceptional conditions that are not expected to occur frequently during day to day operation of the product.
• CWE-843Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type ('Type Confusion')The product allocates or initializes a resource such as a pointer, object, or variable using one type, but it later accesses that resource using a type that is incompatible with the original type.
• CWE-1287Improper Validation of Specified Type of InputThe product receives input that is expected to be of a certain type, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input is actually of the expected type.