CVE-2025-40777

A possible assertion failure when 'stale-answer-client-timeout' is set to '0'

HIGH
7.5
CVSS Score
Published: July 16, 2025 at 05:38 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 09:22 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorBIND

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Severity
HIGH7.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 1%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

If a `named` caching resolver is configured with `serve-stale-enable` `yes`, and with `stale-answer-client-timeout` set to `0` (the only allowable value other than `disabled`), and if the resolver, in the process of resolving a query, encounters a CNAME chain involving a specific combination of cached or authoritative records, the daemon will abort with an assertion failure. This issue affects BIND 9 versions 9.20.0 through 9.20.10, 9.21.0 through 9.21.9, and 9.20.9-S1 through 9.20.10-S1.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

9.20.0 ≤ v ≤ 9.20.109.20.9-S1 ≤ v ≤ 9.20.10-S19.21.0 ≤ v ≤ 9.21.99.20.09.20.9-S19.21.0
Vendor states this is fixed in 9.18.0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 9.18.11-S1 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

Patch and advisory references

References (2)

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitAutomatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

7.5HIGHisc
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusDEFERRED
CWE
CWE-617

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