Remote crash via unbounded DNSCrypt marker scan
Published May 20, 2026 · Updated May 20, 2026
Out-of-bounds read in DNSCrypt handling in NLnet Labs Unbound 1.6.2 through 1.25.0 allows remote attackers to crash the resolver. The DNSCrypt packet reader scans decrypted plaintext past its buffer when an all-zero query omits the expected 0x80 marker, and a heap over-read can end in a process crash. Exposure requires a build compiled with --enable-dnscrypt and an enabled DNSCrypt listener; ordinary DNS service without that build option is unaffected.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds read in DNSCrypt handling in NLnet Labs Unbound 1.6.2 through 1.25.0 allows remote attackers to crash the resolver. The DNSCrypt packet reader scans decrypted plaintext past its buffer when an all-zero query omits the expected 0x80 marker, and a heap over-read can end in a process crash. Exposure requires a build compiled with --enable-dnscrypt and an enabled DNSCrypt listener; ordinary DNS service without that build option is unaffected.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-32792
- Published
- May 20, 2026
- Updated
- May 20, 2026
- Vendor
- NLnet Labs
- Product
- Unbound
- Classifications
- CWE-166, CWE-125, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 20, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 20, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=1.6.2 <1.25.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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