---
title: "NET-DB-010 BIND Open Recursion"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/NET-DB-010.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/NET-DB-010.html
site: OpenVAPT, https://openvapt.com/
license: OpenVAPT Source-Available Licence 1.3, https://openvapt.com/legal/licence-text.html
modified: 2026-10-14
version: 0.1.0-alpha.6
---

# NET-DB-010 BIND Open Recursion

BIND enables recursion without restricting recursive clients.

- Domain: Network
- Severity: High
- Control category: Data Services
- Fix effort: low
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H`
- CIS Controls v8: 4.1
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.PS-01
- CWE: CWE-406
- OWASP Top 10 2021: A05:2021
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SC-5, CM-6, SC-7
- Benchmark topic: Secure data service configuration (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

An open recursive resolver can be abused for reflection attacks and permits outsiders to consume resolver resources.

## How It Detects

Reads named.conf and flags recursion yes when neither allow-recursion nor allow-query-cache restricts clients.

## How to Fix

Disable recursion on authoritative-only servers, or set allow-recursion and allow-query-cache to explicit trusted networks.

## How to Verify

```
Run named-checkconf and query recursion from an untrusted test network under an approved test plan.
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P3 Network Exposure and Firewalls](https://openvapt.com/academy/p3.md)
- [P8 Data Services: Databases, File Shares, DNS and Mail](https://openvapt.com/academy/p8.md)

## References

- [BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual - Access Control](https://bind9.readthedocs.io/en/latest/reference.html#access-control)

## Source Code

https://github.com/OpenVAPT/openvapt/blob/574f7f3333c44b75a3c649e2d93a76d507f75adf/internal/checks/network/services.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only NET-DB-010`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain NET-DB-010`.

---

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