Retrap: Novel Vulnerabilities to launch Algorithmic Complexity Attacks on DNSSEC
CVE-2026-85501 is fixed in 16 products on 1 platform, first by libunbound2 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6, released September 16, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: High.
Novel vulnerabilities to launch algorithmic complexity attacks on DNSSEC have been researched under the term 'ReTrap'. These result in degradation of service when malicious zones are used to serve the algorithmic complexity vulnerabilities. NLnet Labs Unbound up to and including 1.26.0 is vulnerable to some of them. TagTrap, where the triple(Zone, Algo, KeyTag) matching mechanism introduces a significant attack vector when resolvers handle malicious responses containing numerous mismatched DNSKEY, RRSIG, and DS record. DelegationTrap, where constructing the chain-of-trust requires iterative validation of DNSKEY and DS records from the root zone downward. For deeply nested domains, this results in significant computational overhead. NsecTrap, where responses with excessive invalid NSEC records compel the resolver to validate each one. AdditionalTrap, where Unbound by default would try to DNSSEC validate the ADDITIONAL section as well. This can be exploited to waste validation resources by malicious users.
Where it's fixed
| Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | |||
| libunbound2 · Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | libunbound2 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| libunbound8 · Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | libunbound8 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| libunbound8 · Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (jammy) | 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | libunbound8 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| libunbound8 · Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS (noble) | 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | libunbound8 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| libunbound8 · Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS (resolute) | 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | libunbound8 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| python-unbound · Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | python-unbound 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| python-unbound · Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | python-unbound 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| python3-unbound · Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | python3-unbound 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| python3-unbound · Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | python3-unbound 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| python3-unbound · Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (jammy) | 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | python3-unbound 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| python3-unbound · Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS (noble) | 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | python3-unbound 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| python3-unbound · Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS (resolute) | 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | python3-unbound 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| python3-unbound · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| python3-unbound-debuginfo · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound · Debian 13.5 (trixie) | 1.26.1-0+deb13u1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2026-85501 | Sep 19, 2026 |
| unbound · Debian 14 | 1.26.1-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2026-85501 | Sep 19, 2026 |
| unbound · Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | unbound 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound · Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | unbound 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound · Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (jammy) | 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | unbound 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound · Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS (noble) | 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | unbound 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound · Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS (resolute) | 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | unbound 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound · opensuse-leap 16.0 | 1.26.1-160000.1.1 | OPENSUSE-SU-2026:22082-1 | Nov 7, 2026 |
| unbound · sles 15.6 | 1.26.1-150600.23.24.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4620-1 | Nov 7, 2026 |
| unbound · sles 15.7 | 1.26.1-150600.23.24.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:4620-1 | Nov 7, 2026 |
| unbound · sles 16.0 | 1.26.1-160000.1.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:24226-1 | Nov 7, 2026 |
| unbound-anchor · Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | unbound-anchor 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-anchor · Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | unbound-anchor 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-anchor · Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (jammy) | 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | unbound-anchor 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-anchor · Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS (noble) | 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | unbound-anchor 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-anchor · Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS (resolute) | 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | unbound-anchor 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-anchor · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound-anchor-debuginfo · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound-debuginfo · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound-debugsource · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound-devel · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound-host · Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | unbound-host 1.6.7-1ubuntu2.6+esm6 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-host · Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | unbound-host 1.9.4-2ubuntu1.11+esm3 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-host · Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (jammy) | 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | unbound-host 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.17 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-host · Ubuntu 24.04.5 LTS (noble) | 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | unbound-host 1.19.2-1ubuntu3.12 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-host · Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS (resolute) | 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | unbound-host 1.24.2-1ubuntu2.4 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| unbound-libs · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound-libs-debuginfo · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound-utils · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
| unbound-utils-debuginfo · amzn 2023 | 1.17.1-1.amzn2023.0.15 | ALAS2023-2026-3127 | Sep 28, 2026 |
Patch Radar data is free to use with attribution. Terms and how to credit it.
Product names, logos and trademarks shown on Patch Radar belong to their respective owners. They are used only to identify the software each security fix applies to and to help readers find their platform. Their use does not imply any affiliation with, or endorsement by, those owners, and Patchblox is not affiliated with any of them.