The BIND 9.x server implementation must have QNAME minimization set to "strict".

Severity
Group ID
Group Title
Version
Rule ID
Date
STIG Version
mediumV-275935SRG-APP-000516-DNS-000500BIND-9X-002440SV-275935r1124025_rule2025-07-243
Description
QNAME minimization limits the amount of information sent in DNS queries to intermediate nameservers, improving privacy by reducing the potential for DNS leak. It modifies the flow of DNS queries to reveal only what is necessary for the current server to find the next one in the resolution chain.
ℹ️ Check
Verify QNAME minimization is set to "strict". Inspect the named.conf file for the following: options { qname-minimization strict; If the qname minimization is not set to "strict", this is a finding.
✔️ Fix
Edit the named.conf file options { qname-minimization strict; }; After making changes, save the named.conf file and restart the BIND service to apply the changes.