# CVE-2026-42387: Insufficient input validation in ZoneToCache

> A malicious authoritative server can crash the PowerDNS Recursor by sending a crafted zone due to insufficient input validation.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 25 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-42387, GHSA-9v36-5rhx-cq6m, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-42387

## What is CVE-2026-42387?

CVE-2026-42387 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in PowerDNS Recursor, published on 25 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A malicious authoritative server can send a crafted zone via the ZoneToCache function that leads to a crash of the Recursor due to insuffcient input validation.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-42387?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-42387?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-42387 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-42387 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-42387 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-42387 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in PowerDNS Recursor, published on 25 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-42387 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: PowerDNS Recursor. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42387/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42387/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-42387
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-42387
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-42387

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42387/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.