Summary
When chaincode is deployed in chaincode-as-a-service mode with TLS enabled, the chaincode server INFO level logging includes the TLS private key password in plaintext. An attacker with access to the chaincode server logs could recover the TLS private key password. If the attacker can also obtain the TLS private key, they could impersonate the chaincode server.
Mitigation
Impacted deployments can mitigate the vulnerability by restricting the logging level to WARNING or higher so that INFO level logs are not written.
Impact
CVE-2026-45581 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low 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 (2.5.10); 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.
Remediation advice
- Update to the fixed version of the chaincode runtime.
- Redact or remove existing logs that contain the TLS private key password.
- Change the TLS private key password.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-45581? CVE-2026-45581 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in org.hyperledger.fabric-chaincode-java:fabric-chaincode-shim (maven), affecting versions >= 2.3.1, <= 2.5.9. It is fixed in 2.5.10.
- How severe is CVE-2026-45581? CVE-2026-45581 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (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 org.hyperledger.fabric-chaincode-java:fabric-chaincode-shim are affected by CVE-2026-45581? org.hyperledger.fabric-chaincode-java:fabric-chaincode-shim (maven) versions >= 2.3.1, <= 2.5.9 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-45581? Yes. CVE-2026-45581 is fixed in 2.5.10. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-45581 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-45581 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-2026-45581 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-2026-45581? Upgrade
org.hyperledger.fabric-chaincode-java:fabric-chaincode-shimto 2.5.10 or later.