GHSA-w6rp-vxj2-fjhr — v4
GHSA-w6rp-vxj2-fjhr is a security vulnerability in github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v4. A fix is available for github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v4 — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Cosmos packet-forward-middleware vulnerable to chain-halt
Real-World Exposure
github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v4🐹github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v5🐹github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v6Real-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
The Cosmos SDK is used for Inter-Blockchain Communication Protocol (IBC) applications and middleware. The packet-forward-middleware module is an IBC middleware module built for Cosmos blockchains utilizing the IBC protocol allowing routing of incoming IBC packets from a source chain to a destination chain. The packet-forward-middleware module is vulnerable to potential chain-halt due to error non-determinism.
Patches
Please patch at your earliest convenience by applying one of the following patch versions, respective to the chain's ibc-go major version: v4.1.1 v5.2.1 v6.1.1
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐹Go | github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v4 | all versions | 4.1.1go get github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v4@v4.1.1 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v5 | all versions | 5.2.1go get github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v5@v5.2.1 |
| 🐹Go | github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v6 | all versions | 6.1.1go get github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v6@v6.1.1 |
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/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v4, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update github.com/cosmos/ibc-apps/middleware/packet-forward-middleware/v4 to 4.1.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-w6rp-vxj2-fjhr 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 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-w6rp-vxj2-fjhr can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-w6rp-vxj2-fjhr. 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-w6rp-vxj2-fjhr in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-w6rp-vxj2-fjhr across Go dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.