Description
NSD before 4.1.11 allows remote DNS master servers to cause a denial of service (/tmp disk consumption and slave server crash) via a zone transfer with unlimited data.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | nsd | 4.1.11-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | nsd | 4.1.11-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | nsd | 4.1.11-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | nsd | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | nsd | 4.3.7-1.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:11100-1 |
Advisories 1
- openSUSE-SU-2024:11100-1 nsd-4.3.7-1.2 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- [nsd-users] 20160809 NSD 4.1.11 mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20160706 Malicious primary DNS servers can crash secondaries mailing-list
- 91678 vdb-entry
- https://www.nlnetlabs.nl/bugs-script/show_bug.cgi?id=790
- [dns-operations] 20160704 DNS activities in Japan mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20160706 Re: Malicious primary DNS servers can crash secondaries mailing-list
- http://www.nlnetlabs.nl/svn/nsd/tags/NSD_4_1_11_REL/doc/RELNOTES
- https://github.com/sischkg/xfer-limit/blob/master/README.md