Hickory DNS hickory-proto through 0.26.0-alpha.1 and hickory-net 0.26.0-beta.1 before 0.26.2 contain an NSEC validation flaw that returns a secure proof for NXDOMAIN responses when the covering NSEC's Next Domain Name is a strict descendant of the query name, which actually proves the name exists as an empty non-terminal. On-path attackers can flip the unsigned rcode of a genuine signed NODATA response from NOERROR to NXDOMAIN, causing validators to accept forged nonexistence of the name.

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Attack Requirements Present

User Interaction None

Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact None

Vulnerable System Integrity Impact Low

Vulnerable System Availability Impact Low

Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None

Subsequent System Integrity Impact None

Subsequent System Availability Impact None

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity High

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact Low

Availability Impact Low

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

The EPSS score is 0.0012.

Exploitation none

Automatable no

Technical Impact partial

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
hickory-dns hickory-dns unaffected
Version Status Constraints
0 affected ≤ 0.26.0-alpha.1
hickory-dns hickory-dns unaffected
Version Status Constraints
0.26.0-beta.1 affected < 0.26.2
0.26.2 unaffected —

No data.

No data.

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
https://github.com/hickory-dns/hickory-dns/security/advisories/GHSA-86vr-jm6c-7cpg cve-icon cve-icon
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/hickory-dns-through-0.26.0-alpha.1-dnssec-nsec-validation-bypass-for-empty-non-terminals cve-icon cve-icon
History

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Hickory-dns
Hickory-dns hickory-dns
Vendors & Products Hickory-dns
Hickory-dns hickory-dns

Sun, 08 Nov 2026 01:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Hickory DNS hickory-proto through 0.26.0-alpha.1 and hickory-net 0.26.0-beta.1 before 0.26.2 contain an NSEC validation flaw that returns a secure proof for NXDOMAIN responses when the covering NSEC's Next Domain Name is a strict descendant of the query name, which actually proves the name exists as an empty non-terminal. On-path attackers can flip the unsigned rcode of a genuine signed NODATA response from NOERROR to NXDOMAIN, causing validators to accept forged nonexistence of the name.
Title Hickory DNS through 0.26.0-alpha.1 DNSSEC NSEC Validation Bypass for Empty Non-Terminals
Weaknesses CWE-345
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 6.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2026-11-09T13:51:34.546Z

Reserved: 2026-11-06T00:57:31.045Z

Link: CVE-2026-123594

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-11-09T13:51:31.498Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Deferred

Published: 2026-11-08T02:16:53.710

Modified: 2026-11-10T22:15:59.797

Link: CVE-2026-123594

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-11-09T16:39:01Z

Weaknesses