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F5 Networks BIG-IP : NLnet Labs Unbound vulnerability (K000163139)

🗓️ 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 3 Views

Dangling pointer in Unbound DNSSEC validator on BIG-IP allows DoS or RCE.

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Refs
Code
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
#
# The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were
# extracted from F5 Networks BIG-IP Solution K000163139.
#
# @NOAGENT@
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(341737);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/08/31");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-33278");

  script_name(english:"F5 Networks BIG-IP : NLnet Labs Unbound vulnerability (K000163139)");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The remote device is missing a vendor-supplied security patch.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The version of F5 Networks BIG-IP installed on the remote host is prior to tested version. It is, therefore, affected by
a vulnerability as referenced in the K000163139 advisory.

    NLnet Labs Unbound 1.19.1 up to and including version 1.25.0 has a vulnerability in the DNSSEC validator
    that enables denial of service and possible remote code execution as a result of deep copying a data
    structure and erroneously overwriting a destination pointer. An adversary can exploit the vulnerability by
    controlling a malicious signed zone and querying a vulnerable Unbound. When DS sub-queries need to suspend
    validation due to NSEC3 computational budget exhaustion (introduced in Unbound 1.19.1), Unbound deep-
    copies response messages to preserve them across memory region teardown. A struct-assignment bug
    overwrites the destination's pointer with the source's pointer. After the sub-query region is freed, the
    resumed validator dereferences this dangling pointer, triggering a crash or potentially enabling arbitrary
    code execution. Unbound 1.25.1 contains a patch with a fix to preserve the correct pointer when deep
    copying the data structure.(CVE-2026-33278)

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the F5 Networks BIG-IP security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version
number.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K000163139");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"The vendor has acknowledged the vulnerability, but no solution has been provided.
Refer to the vendor for remediation guidance.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss4_vector", value:"CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss4_supplemental", value:"CVSS:4.0/U:Red");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss4_threat_vector", value:"CVSS:4.0/E:U");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2026-33278");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2026/05/20");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/08/31");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"potential_vulnerability", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/a:f5:big-ip_domain_name_system");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/a:f5:big-ip_global_traffic_manager");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/h:f5:big-ip");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"F5 Networks Local Security Checks");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("f5_bigip_detect.nbin");
  script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/BIG-IP/hotfix", "Host/BIG-IP/modules", "Host/BIG-IP/version", "Settings/ParanoidReport");

  exit(0);
}


include('f5_func.inc');

if ( ! get_kb_item('Host/local_checks_enabled') ) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
var version = get_kb_item('Host/BIG-IP/version');
if ( ! version ) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, 'F5 Networks BIG-IP');
if ( isnull(get_kb_item('Host/BIG-IP/hotfix')) ) audit(AUDIT_KB_MISSING, 'Host/BIG-IP/hotfix');
if ( ! get_kb_item('Host/BIG-IP/modules') ) audit(AUDIT_KB_MISSING, 'Host/BIG-IP/modules');

if (report_paranoia < 2) audit(AUDIT_PARANOID);

var sol = 'K000163139';
var vmatrix = {
  'DNS': {
    'affected': [
      '21.1.0','17.5.0-17.5.1','17.1.2-17.1.3'
    ],
  }
};

if (bigip_is_affected(vmatrix:vmatrix, sol:sol))
{
  var extra = NULL;
  if (report_verbosity > 0) extra = bigip_report_get();
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_HOLE,
      extra      : extra
  );
}
else
{
  var tested = bigip_get_tested_modules();
  var audit_extra = 'For BIG-IP module(s) ' + tested + ',';
  if (tested) audit(AUDIT_INST_VER_NOT_VULN, audit_extra, version);
  else audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'running the affected module DNS');
}

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31 Aug 2026 00:00Current
7.6High risk
Vulners AI Score7.6
CVSS 3.18.1 - 9.8
CVSS 410
EPSS0.01272
SSVC
3