Summary
Rust EVM erroneousle handles recordexternaloperation error return
Workarounds
None.
References
Patch PR #264.
Impact
In rust-evm, a feature called record_external_operation was introduced, allowing library users to record custom gas changes. This feature can have some bogus interactions with the call stack.
In particular, during finalization of a CREATE or CREATE2, in the case that the substack execution happens successfully, rust-evm will first commit the substate, and then call record_external_operation(Write(out_code.len())). If record_external_operation later fails, this error is returned to the parent call stack, instead of Succeeded. Yet, the substate commitment already happened. This causes smart contracts able to commit state changes, when the parent caller contract receives zero address (which usually indicates that the execution has failed).
This issue only impacts library users with custom record_external_operation that returns errors.
CVE-2024-21629 has a CVSS score of 5.9 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (0.41.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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The issue is patched in release 0.41.1. The commit can be seem here.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-21629? CVE-2024-21629 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in evm (rust), affecting versions <= 0.41.0. It is fixed in 0.41.1.
- How severe is CVE-2024-21629? CVE-2024-21629 has a CVSS score of 5.9 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of evm are affected by CVE-2024-21629? evm (rust) versions <= 0.41.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-21629? Yes. CVE-2024-21629 is fixed in 0.41.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2024-21629 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-21629 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2024-21629 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2024-21629? Upgrade
evmto 0.41.1 or later.