---
title: "CVE-2018-5737\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-5737?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2018-5737

Publication date 16 January 2019

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**7.5 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-5737?format=md#impact-score)

Toggle side navigation

## Description

A problem with the implementation of the new serve-stale feature in BIND
9.12 can lead to an assertion failure in rbtdb.c, even when
stale-answer-enable is off. Additionally, problematic interaction between
the serve-stale feature and NSEC aggressive negative caching can in some
cases cause undesirable behavior from named, such as a recursion loop or
excessive logging. Deliberate exploitation of this condition could cause
operational problems depending on the particular manifestation -- either
degradation or denial of service. Affects BIND 9.12.0 and 9.12.1.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-5737?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| bind9 | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 17.10 artful | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)

## Notes

---

### [ratliff](https://launchpad.net/~ratliff)

9.12 only

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

7.5 · High

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | None |
  | Integrity impact | None |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 7.5 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2018-5737)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-5737)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2018-5737)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2018-5737)

### Other references

* <https://kb.isc.org/article/AA-01606>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-5737>