GHSA-4chv-4c6w-w254
HIGHThe rs-soroban-sdk #[contractimpl] macro calls inherent function instead of trait function when names collide
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
soroban-sdk-macros🦀soroban-sdk-macros🦀soroban-sdk-macrosReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects crates.io packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Impact
The #[contractimpl] macro contains a bug in how it wires up function calls.
In Rust, you can define functions on a type in two ways:
- Directly on the type as an inherent function:
impl MyContract { fn value() { ... } } - Through a trait
impl Trait for MyContract { fn value() { ... } }
These are two separate functions that happen to share the same name. Rust has rules for which one gets called. When you write MyContract::value(), Rust always picks the one defined directly on the type, not the trait version.
The bug is that #[contractimpl] generates code that uses MyContract::value() style calls even when it's processing the trait version. This means if an inherent function is also defined with the same name, the inherent function gets called instead of the trait function.
This means the Wasm-exported entry point silently calls the wrong function when two conditions are met simultaneously:
- A
impl Trait for MyContractblock is defined with one or more functions, with#[contractimpl]applied. - A
impl MyContractblock is defined with one or more identically named functions, without#[contractimpl]applied.
If the trait version contains important security checks, such as verifying the caller is authorized, that the inherent version does not, those checks are bypassed. Anyone interacting with the contract through its public interface will call the wrong function.
For example:
#[contract]
pub struct Contract;
impl Contract {
/// Inherent function — returns 1.
/// Bug: The macro-generated WASM export is wired up to call this function.
pub fn value() -> u32 {
1
}
}
pub trait Trait {
fn value(env: Env) -> u32;
}
#[contractimpl]
impl Trait for MyContract {
/// Trait implementation — returns 2.
/// Fix: The macro-generated WASM export should call this function.
fn value() -> u32 {
2
}
}
Patches
The problem is patched in soroban-sdk-macros version 25.1.1. The fix changes the generated call from <Type>::func() to <Type as Trait>::func() when processing trait implementations, ensuring Rust resolves to the trait associated function regardless of whether an inherent function with the same name exists.
Users should upgrade to soroban-sdk-macros >= 25.1.1 and recompile their contracts.
Workarounds
If upgrading is not immediately possible, contract developers can avoid the issue by ensuring that no inherent associated function on the contract type shares a name with any function in the trait implementation. Renaming or removing the conflicting inherent function eliminates the ambiguity and causes the macro-generated code to correctly resolve to the trait function.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🦀crates.io | soroban-sdk-macros | ≥ 25.0.0&&< 25.1.1 | 25.1.1 |
| 🦀crates.io | soroban-sdk-macros | ≥ 23.0.0&&< 23.5.2 | 23.5.2 |
| 🦀crates.io | soroban-sdk-macros | all versions | 22.0.10 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for soroban-sdk-macros. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update soroban-sdk-macros to 25.1.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-4chv-4c6w-w254 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-4chv-4c6w-w254 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-4chv-4c6w-w254. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-4chv-4c6w-w254 in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-4chv-4c6w-w254 across crates.io dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.