---
id: "CVE-2026-96888"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-96888"]
title: "BIND: redirect zone with strict qname minimization crashes resolver"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.5
epss: 0.00461
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["bind", "dns-resolver", "infrastructure", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["authoritative-only", "default-qname-minimization", "no-redirect-zone"]
published_at: "2026-10-21T13:21:08+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:28+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T03:16:50+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-96888", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:28+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-96888", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-24T13:15:54+00:00"}]
---

# BIND: redirect zone with strict qname minimization crashes resolver

A BIND 9 resolver configured with both a redirect zone and qname-minimization strict can abort on an assertion failure while processing the redirect. The sources describe a crash (denial of service), not code execution.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Run `named -V` or `named -v` to read the BIND version.
- Check named.conf for a `zone` block that uses `type redirect;` together with `qname-minimization strict;`.

## Fix

- Upgrade BIND 9 to a fixed release: 9.18.51 or later on the 9.18 branch, 9.20.30 or later on 9.20, 9.21.27 or later on 9.21 (the sources list the affected ranges; confirm the fixed versions against the ISC advisory).
- Or remove the redirect zone or set qname-minimization to a value other than strict until upgraded.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:28+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-96888
- 2026-10-24T13:15:54+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-96888

## From the sources

A BIND resolver that is configured with both a "redirect" zone and "qname-minimization strict" may abort with an assertion failure while processing the redirect.
This issue affects BIND 9 versions 9.16.0 through 9.18.50, 9.20.0 through 9.20.29, 9.21.0 through 9.21.26, 9.16.8-S1 through 9.18.50-S1, and 9.20.9-S1 through 9.20.29-S1.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_