CVE-2025-5994

Cache poisoning via the ECS-enabled Rebirthday Attack

Published Jul 16, 2025 CVSS 4.0 · 8.7 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
A multi-vendor cache poisoning vulnerability named 'Rebirthday Attack' has been discovered in caching resolvers that support EDNS Client Subnet (ECS). Unbound is also vulnerable when compiled with ECS support, i.e., '--enable-subnet', AND configured to send ECS information along with queries to upstream name servers, i.e., at least one of the 'send-client-subnet', 'client-subnet-zone' or 'client-subnet-always-forward' options is used. Resolvers supporting ECS need to segregate outgoing queries to accommodate for different outgoing ECS information. This re-opens up resolvers to a birthday paradox attack (Rebirthday Attack) that tries to match the DNS transaction ID in order to cache non-ECS poisonous replies.

Remediation

Vendor Solution

This issue is fixed in 1.23.1 and all later versions. Not using EDNS Client Subnet (ECS) is also a mitigation for affected versions.

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4280-1 unbound security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-5987-1 unbound security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-21730 A multi-vendor cache poisoning vulnerability named 'Rebirthday Attack' has been discovered in caching resolvers that support EDNS Client Subnet (ECS). Unbound is also vulnerable when compiled with ECS support, i.e., '--enable-subnet', AND configured to send ECS information along with queries to upstream name servers, i.e., at least one of the 'send-client-subnet', 'client-subnet-zone' or 'client-subnet-always-forward' options is used. Resolvers supporting ECS need to segregate outgoing queries to accommodate for different outgoing ECS information. This re-opens up resolvers to a birthday paradox attack (Rebirthday Attack) that tries to match the DNS transaction ID in order to cache non-ECS poisonous replies.
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7666-1 Unbound vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N'}

threat_severity

Important

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A multi-vendor cache poisoning vulnerability named 'Rebirthday Attack' has been discovered in caching resolvers that support EDNS Client Subnet (ECS). Unbound is also vulnerable when compiled with ECS support, i.e., '--enable-subnet', AND configured to send ECS information along with queries to upstream name servers, i.e., at least one of the 'send-client-subnet', 'client-subnet-zone' or 'client-subnet-always-forward' options is used. Resolvers supporting ECS need to segregate outgoing queries to accommodate for different outgoing ECS information. This re-opens up resolvers to a birthday paradox attack (Rebirthday Attack) that tries to match the DNS transaction ID in order to cache non-ECS poisonous replies.
Title Cache poisoning via the ECS-enabled Rebirthday Attack
Weaknesses CWE-349
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/R:U/V:C'}

Subscriptions

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Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
NLnet Labs
Published
Updated
Nov 3, 2025, 6:13 PM
Reserved
Jun 11, 2025, 9:08 AM
Status
Deferred
Published
Jul 16, 2025, 3:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 9:49 AM
Severity
Important
Public date
Jul 16, 2025, 2:38 PM