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F5 Networks BIG-IP : NLnet Labs Unbound vulnerability (K000163141)

🗓️ 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 6 Views

F5 BIG-IP Unbound DNSSEC validator DoS via uninitialized pointer dereference. (CVE-2026-42959)

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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 K000163141.
#
# @NOAGENT@
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(341736);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/08/31");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-42959");

  script_name(english:"F5 Networks BIG-IP : NLnet Labs Unbound vulnerability (K000163141)");

  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 K000163141 advisory.

    NLnet Labs Unbound up to and including version 1.25.0 has a denial of service vulnerability in the DNSSEC
    validator that can lead to a crash given malicious upstream replies. When Unbound constructs chase-reply
    messages for validation, the code uses the wrong counter to calculate write offsets for ADDITIONAL section
    rrsets. DNAME duplication could increase the ANSWER section count and authority filtering could decrease
    the AUTHORITY section count and create an uninitialized array slot. Combining these two, the validator
    later dereferences this uninitialized pointer, causing an immediate process crash. An adversary
    controlling a DNSSEC-signed domain can trigger this bug with a single query by configuring a DNAME chain
    with unsigned CNAMEs and a response containing unsigned AUTHORITY records alongside signed ADDITIONAL glue
    records. Unbound 1.25.1 contains a patch with a fix to use the proper counters to calculate the write
    offsets.(CVE-2026-42959)

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/K000163141");
  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:N/I:N/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:N/I:N/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:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss4_threat_vector", value:"CVSS:4.0/E:U");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2026-42959");

  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 = 'K000163141';
var vmatrix = {
  'DNS': {
    'affected': [
      '21.1.0','17.5.0-17.5.1','17.1.0-17.1.3'
    ],
  }
};

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
7.2High risk
Vulners AI Score7.2
CVSS 3.17.5
CVSS 48.7
EPSS0.00779
SSVC
6