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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-50251

🗓️ 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 4 Views

Unpatched Unbound up to 1.25.1 enables cache flush via unwanted-reply-threshold 0.0.0.0/::0 glue.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
ATTACKERKB
CVE-2026-50251
22 Jul 202613:08
attackerkb
AlpineLinux
CVE-2026-50251
22 Jul 202613:08
alpinelinux
CBLMariner
CVE-2026-50251 affecting package unbound for versions less than 1.25.2-1
23 Jul 202620:32
cbl_mariner
Circl
CVE-2026-50251
22 Jul 202614:17
circl
CVE
CVE-2026-50251
22 Jul 202613:08
cve
Cvelist
CVE-2026-50251 Attacker supplied '0.0.0.0'/'::' glue triggers defensive full-cache flush
22 Jul 202613:08
cvelist
Debian CVE
CVE-2026-50251
22 Jul 202613:08
debiancve
EUVD
EUVD-2026-47675
22 Jul 202613:08
euvd
FreeBSD
unbound -- multiple vulnerabilities
22 Jul 202600:00
freebsd
Tenable Nessus
FreeBSD : unbound -- multiple vulnerabilities (f63b4b88-6901-4c12-b13d-5a821e25e9bf)
26 Jul 202600:00
nessus
Rows per page
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(329663);
  script_version("1.2");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/07/28");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-50251");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-50251");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - In NLnet Labs Unbound up to and including version 1.25.1, when 'unwanted-reply-threshold' is enabled (set
    to any value greater than zero), glue records of 0.0.0.0/::0 can short-circuit Unbound, on systems that
    can direct such traffic, by issuing DNS queries and receiving seemingly unwanted replies since the remote
    IP does not match the original source IP of 0.0.0.0/::0. This behavior keeps on looping for the glue
    records and pushing the counter to the configured 'unwanted-reply-threshold' that triggers a defensive
    cache clear. A malicious actor who controls a delegation that returns in-bailiwick glue of 0.0.0.0/::0 can
    drive the counter to the limit of 'unwanted-reply-threshold' to the threshold and trigger a cache clean of
    the message and rrset caches; at will, indefinitely, without sending a single spoofed packet. The iterator
    uses the 0.0.0.0/::0 glue, and a system that can route this (e.g., Linux kernel routes the datagram over
    loopback), Unbound's own listener answers from 127.0.0.1. Because of the mismatch of 0.0.0.0 and
    127.0.0.1, in this example, Unbound accounts the reply as an unwanted (probably spoofed) answer. The
    counter resets to zero on every cache flush, so the attack loops forever. (CVE-2026-50251)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-50251");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-50251");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss3_score_source", value:"CVE-2026-50251");

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

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2026/07/22");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/07/25");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:26.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:11.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:12.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:13.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:unbound");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:unbound");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

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

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Debian Linux-11", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-12", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-13", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-14.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-16.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-18.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-20.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-22.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-24.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-26.04");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Debian Linux-11": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "11",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound8"},
          {"reference": "python3-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-12": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "12",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound8"},
          {"reference": "python3-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-13": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "13",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound8"},
          {"reference": "python3-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-22.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "22.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound8"},
          {"reference": "python3-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-24.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "24.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound8"},
          {"reference": "python3-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-26.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "26.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound8"},
          {"reference": "python3-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-14.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "14.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound2"},
          {"reference": "python-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-16.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "16.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound2"},
          {"reference": "python-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-18.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "18.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound2"},
          {"reference": "python-unbound"},
          {"reference": "python3-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-20.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "20.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "libunbound-dev"},
          {"reference": "libunbound8"},
          {"reference": "python-unbound"},
          {"reference": "python3-unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound"},
          {"reference": "unbound-anchor"},
          {"reference": "unbound-host"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');

var third_party_support = get_kb_item('Host/OS/extended-third-party');
if (!empty_or_null(third_party_support)) {
    var third_party_vendors = distro_constraints_values['third_party'];
    if (!empty_or_null(third_party_vendors)) {
        var vendor;
        foreach vendor (third_party_vendors) {
            if (vendor == third_party_support) exit(0, 'A third party management patch is available for this vulnerability from ' + vendor + '.\n');
        }
    }
}

var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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28 Jul 2026 00:00Current
5.8Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.8
CVSS 3.15.3
EPSS0.00263
SSVC
4