ASA-2024-002: Default `PrepareProposalHandler` may produce invalid proposals when used with default `SenderNonceMempool`GHSA-2557-x9mg-76w8
MEDIUMFix: cosmos/cosmos-sdk@c058502GHSA-2557-x9mg-76w8 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.3) vulnerability in github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk. A fix is available for github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Real-World Exposure
github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk🐹github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdkReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Go packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
ASA-2024-002: Default PrepareProposalHandler may produce invalid proposals when used with default SenderNonceMempool
Component: Cosmos SDK Criticality: Medium Affected Versions: Cosmos SDK versions <= 0.50.3; <= 0.47.8 Affected Users: Chain developers, Validator and Node operators Impact: Denial of Service
Summary
When using the default PrepareProposalHandler and the default SenderNonceMempool, an issue was identified which may allow invalid blocks to be proposed when a single sender includes multiple transactions with non-sequential sequence numbers in certain conditions. If this state is reached, it can lead to a reduction in block production for a network.
Next Steps for Impacted Parties
If you are a chain developer on an affected version of the Cosmos SDK, it is advised to update to the latest available version of the Cosmos SDK for your project. Once a patched version is available, it is recommended that network operators upgrade.
A Github Security Advisory for this issue is available in the Cosmos-SDK repository. For more information about Cosmos SDK, see https://docs.cosmos.network/.
This issue was found by KonradStaniec, gitferry, SebastianElvis, and vitsalis who reported it to the Cosmos Bug Bounty Program on HackerOne on January 16, 2024. If you believe you have found a bug in the Interchain Stack or would like to contribute to the program by reporting a bug, please see https://hackerone.com/cosmos.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk | ≥ 0.50.0&&< 0.50.4 | 0.50.4go get github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk@v0.50.4 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk | all versions | 0.47.9go get github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk@v0.47.9 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk to 0.50.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-2557-x9mg-76w8 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Cap what an attacker can consume: apply request size, rate and timeout limits in front of the affected component, and run it with memory and CPU limits so exhaustion degrades one worker rather than the whole service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-2557-x9mg-76w8 in your dependencies?
Find it across Go, including transitive dependencies.