CVE-2023-42448 json
Hydra's contestation period in head datum can be modified during Close transaction, allowing malicious participant to freely modify the contestation deadline
published 2023-10-04 3 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2023-46894
- cvss
- 8.1
- version 3.1, CNA
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 1.0%
- EPSS 1.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 62%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
Hydra is the layer-two scalability solution for Cardano. Prior to version 0.13.0, the specification states that the contestation period in the datum of the UTxO at the head validator must stay unchanged as the state progresses from Open to Closed (Close transaction), but no such check appears to be performed in the `checkClose` function of the head validator. This would allow a malicious participant to modify the contestation deadline of the head to either allow them to fanout the head without giving another participant the chance to contest, or prevent any participant from ever redistributing the funds locked in the head via a fan-out. Version 0.13.0 contains a patch for this issue.
Patch / fix
CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
- Assessed
- 2 y ago
Exploit prediction
0.98% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 62% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 3.1 | 8.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H |
| NVD | 3.1 | 8.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H |
Affected products
- input-output-hk hydra
Classification
References
-
github.com
/input-output-hk/hydra/commit/2f45529729e28254a62f7a7c8d6649066923ed1f
patch
-
github.com
/input-output-hk/hydra/security/advisories/GHSA-mgcx-6p7h-5996
vendor-advisory
-
github.com
/input-output-hk/hydra/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md#0130---2023-10-03
release-notes
-
github.com
/input-output-hk/hydra/blob/master/hydra-plutus/src/Hydra/Contract/Head.hs#L284-L296
product
-
github.com
/input-output-hk/hydra/blob/master/hydra-plutus/src/Hydra/Contract/Head.hs#L320-L323
product
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2023-42448
- NVD CVE-2023-42448
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