Understanding 'format error" Messages

[Michael Sinatra]

b19141 at anl.gov wrote:
> I am trying to understand "format error" messages like this one from
> BIND 9.7.0-P1:
> 
>      Apr 15 15:36:02 dnsserver.it.anl.gov named[8662]:
>        [ID 873579 daemon.notice] DNS format error
>        from 209.234.234.42#53 resolving markets.nytimes.wallst.com/AAAA
>        for client 164.54.214.14#13132: invalid response

I haven't looked at the code too closely (maybe someone from ISC can 
chime in), but I am also interested in understanding the range of 
possible errors that this message indicates.

In this particular case, the authoritative nameserver is giving out an 
obviously bogus NS record for wallst.com:

manasquan# dig wallst.com @209.234.224.42 any

; <<>> DiG 9.7.0-P1 <<>> wallst.com @209.234.224.42 any
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 17612
;; flags: qr aa rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 2, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0
;; WARNING: recursion requested but not available

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;wallst.com.                    IN      ANY

;; ANSWER SECTION:
wallst.com.             500     IN      SOA 
lb-www-p1-bb2-01.mgmt.local. hostmaster.lb-www-p1-bb2-01.mgmt.local. 390 
10800 3600 604800 60
wallst.com.             500     IN      NS      lb-www-p1-bb2-01.mgmt.local.

Not sure if that's causing the format error, but it is obviously broken 
(and all too common still).

michael