How to Fix CVE-2026-24028: DNSdist (Bundle Sibling)

*By Sai Kiran Pandrala*

Last verified: 2026-05-25

CVE-2026-24028 is a sibling vulnerability in the same Powerdns DNSdist advisory bundle as CVE-2026-0396. The same patched build closes every CVE in the bundle, so the remediation procedure for CVE-2026-24028 matches the primary write-up.

What is different about CVE-2026-24028?

An attacker might be able to trigger an out-of-bounds read by sending a crafted DNS response packet, when custom Lua code uses newDNSPacketOverlay to parse DNS packets. The out-of-bounds read might trigger a crash, leading to a denial of service, or access unrelated memory, leading to potential information disclosure.

Impact is consistent with the bundle: a denial-of-service condition that crashes or hangs the affected service. The patched build closes every code path in the advisory in one update.

How to fix CVE-2026-24028

Apply the patched build per the primary write-up: How to Fix CVE-2026-0396.

For a quick check, confirm the running version of DNSdist:

# Confirm the installed version via your package manager
dpkg -l | grep -i dnsdist   # Debian/Ubuntu
rpm -qa | grep -i dnsdist   # RHEL/CentOS/Rocky

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2026-24028 being actively exploited?

Not at the time of writing. It is not listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. That status can change, so monitor the vendor advisory and the KEV catalog if the system is exposed.

How severe is CVE-2026-24028?

CVSS rates it 5.3 (Medium). Use that score to set your patch priority alongside the other items in your queue.

Do I have to take DNSdist offline to apply the patch?

It depends on the deployment. High-availability or clustered installs can usually patch one node at a time with no full outage. Standalone installs typically need a short restart. Always follow the vendor's documented upgrade steps.

What if my vulnerability scanner still flags CVE-2026-24028 after I patch?

Re-run the scan after a service restart, then confirm the scanner's plugin set is up to date. Some scanners detect by banner version only and lag the official fix metadata by a release.

References

• Official vendor advisory: https://www.dnsdist.org/security-advisories/powerdns-advisory-for-dnsdist-2026-02.html
• NVD entry: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24028
• CISA KEV catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
• Primary write-up: How to Fix CVE-2026-0396

*Written by Sai Kiran Pandrala. Last verified 2026-05-25. Part of the Powerdns DNSdist advisory bundle. Full procedure at how-to-fix-cve-2026-0396.*