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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-123608

hickory-proto vulnerable to CPU exhaustion during message encoding due to O(n²) name compression

Published May 1, 2026 · catalog updated Nov 8, 2026 · hickory-proto vulnerable to CPU

Last checked Nov 9, 2026. A connected source was read within the last 7 days.

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-123608. EPSS is 0.41%. Act only if a listed version of hickory-proto vulnerable to CPU is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • The stored product name is a package slug. The name on this page is taken from the title (hickory-proto vulnerable to CPU).
  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
Severity
High7.5
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.41%
Remediation
Advisory link
Affected products
Debian:13 rust-hickory-proto · Debian:14 rust-hickory-proto · crates.io hickory-proto

During message encoding, 's stores pointers to labels that are candidates for name compression in a . The name compression logic then searches for matches with a linear scan. A malicious message with many records can both introduce many candidate labels, and invoke this linear scan many times. This can amplify CPU exhaustion in DoS attacks. This is similar to [CVE-2024-8508](https://www.nlnetlabs.nl/downloads/unbound/CVE-2024-8508.txt). We recommend all affected users update to 0.26.1 for the fix.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • Debian:13 rust-hickory-proto0.24.4-2, 0.24.4-3, 0.24.4-4
  • Debian:14 rust-hickory-proto0 → 0.26.1-1
  • crates.io hickory-proto0.3.1 → 0.26.1

How to fix CVE-2026-123608

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-123608. EPSS is 0.41%. Act only if a listed version of hickory-proto vulnerable to CPU is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with 0.24.4-2, 0.24.4-3, 0.24.4-4, 0 → 0.26.1-1, 0.3.1 → 0.26.1. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-407; CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling. EPSS 0.41%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Technology hubs

Debian securityPalo Alto PAN-OS security

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. May 7, 2026 · GitHub Advisory Database

    Detected

    During message encoding, 's stores pointers to labels that are candidates for name compression in a . The name compression logic then searches for matches with a linear scan. A malicious message with many records can both introduce many candidate labels, and invoke this linear scan many times. This can amplify CPU exhaustion in DoS attacks. This is similar to [CVE-2024-8508](https://www.nlnetlabs.

  2. Nov 8, 2026 · OpenSSF OSV / OSV Scanner

    Fix available

    rust-hickory-proto fixed in 0.26.1-1

  3. Nov 8, 2026 · GitHub Advisory Database

    Fix available

    hickory-proto fixed in 0.26.1

  4. Nov 8, 2026 · GitHub Advisory Database

    Fix available

    hickory-proto fixed in 0.26.1

  5. Nov 8, 2026 · OpenSSF OSV / OSV Scanner

    Fix available

    rust-hickory-proto fixed in 0.26.1-1

  6. Nov 8, 2026 · GitHub Advisory Database

    Updated

    During message encoding, 's stores pointers to labels that are candidates for name compression in a . The name compression logic then searches for matches with a linear scan. A malicious message with many records can both introduce many candidate labels, and invoke this linear scan many times. This can amplify CPU exhaustion in DoS attacks. This is similar to [CVE-2024-8508](https://www.nlnetlabs.

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-123608

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-123608

    30-day exploitation probability 0.41%

    first.org
  • GitHub Advisory DatabasePackage advisoryGHSA-q2qq-hmj6-3wpp

    GitHub Advisory Database record mirrored by OSV.

    github.com
  • OpenSSF OSV / OSV ScannerPackage advisoryDEBIAN-CVE-2026-123608
    osv.dev
  • OpenSSF OSV / OSV ScannerPackage advisoryGHSA-q2qq-hmj6-3wpp

    hickory-proto vulnerable to CPU exhaustion during message encoding due to O(n²) name compression

    osv.dev
  • OpenSSF OSV / OSV ScannerPackage advisoryRUSTSEC-2026-0119

    CPU exhaustion during message encoding due to O(n²) name compression

    osv.dev
  • Tenable CVE DatabaseVulnerability recordCVE-2026-123608

    Hickory DNS hickory-proto from 0.3.1 before 0.26.1 contains a denial of service vulnerability in BinEncoder that allows remote attackers to exhaust CPU through quadratic-time name compression. Attackers can send malicious DNS messages with many records that add many candidate labels and trigger repeated linear scans during encoding, amplifying CPU exhaustion.

    tenable.com

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Nov 8, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.

  • GitHub Advisory DatabaseNov 9, 2026
  • OpenSSF OSV / OSV ScannerNov 9, 2026
  • OpenSSF OSV / OSV ScannerNov 9, 2026
  • CVE.orgNov 8, 2026
  • FIRST EPSSNov 8, 2026
  • Tenable CVE DatabaseNov 8, 2026
  • OpenSSF OSV / OSV ScannerNov 8, 2026