---
title: "NET-DNS-001 BIND Version String Disclosed"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/NET-DNS-001.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/NET-DNS-001.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-DNS-001 BIND Version String Disclosed

named.conf has no version statement in options, so a CHAOS class query for version.bind returns the exact BIND release.

- Domain: Network
- Severity: Low
- Control category: Information Exposure
- Fix effort: low
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`
- CIS Controls v8: 4.1
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.PS-01
- CWE: CWE-497
- OWASP Top 10 2021: A05:2021
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-6, SI-11
- Benchmark topic: DNS server version disclosure (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

The version string lets an attacker match advisories to the server without any guessing. Replacing it costs nothing and does not break resolution.

## How It Detects

Reads named.conf and named.conf.options and looks for a  version  statement inside options. Fails when absent.

## How to Fix

Add  version "not disclosed";  inside the options block and run named-checkconf, then rndc reconfig.

## How to Verify

```
dig @127.0.0.1 version.bind txt chaos +short  should print the chosen string.
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P19 Database, Mail and DNS Hardening](https://openvapt.com/academy/p19.md)

## References

- [BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual, version statement](https://bind9.readthedocs.io/en/latest/reference.html#namedconf-statement-version)
- [BIND 9 Administrator Reference Manual, options](https://bind9.readthedocs.io/en/latest/reference.html#options-block-grammar)

## Source Code

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

Run it: `openvapt scan --only NET-DNS-001`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain NET-DNS-001`.

---

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