What is GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W?

GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W is a medium-severity null pointer dereference vulnerability in github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm (go), affecting versions < 1.5.8. It is fixed in 1.5.8, 2.0.6, 2.1.5, 2.2.2. The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash.

Which packages are affected by GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W?

github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm (go) versions = 2.0.0, < 2.0.6.

Is there a fix for GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W?

Yes. GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W is fixed in 1.5.8, 2.0.6, 2.1.5, 2.2.2. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W 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.

What actually determines whether GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W 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 GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W?

Upgrade: github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm to 1.5.8 or later, github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 to 2.0.6 or later, github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 to 2.1.5 or later, github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 to 2.2.2 or later.

GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W in github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm

Q: Which packages are affected by GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W?

github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm (go) versions = 2.0.0, < 2.0.6.

Q: Is there a fix for GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W?

Yes. GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W is fixed in 1.5.8, 2.0.6, 2.1.5, 2.2.2. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W 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.

Q: What actually determines whether GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W 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.

Q: How do I fix GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W?

Upgrade: github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm to 1.5.8 or later, github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 to 2.0.6 or later, github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 to 2.1.5 or later, github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 to 2.2.2 or later.

Summary

wasmvm: Malicious smart contract can crash the chain

CWA-2025-001

Severity

Medium (Moderate + Likely)[^1]

Affected versions:

wasmvm >= 2.2.0, < 2.2.2
wasmvm >= 2.1.0, < 2.1.5
wasmvm >= 2.0.0, < 2.0.6
wasmvm < 1.5.8

Patched versions:

wasmvm 1.5.8, 2.0.6, 2.1.5, 2.2.2

Description of the bug

The vulnerability can be used to crash the chain. The underlying bug that causes this is present on both permissioned and premissionless chains, but it can only be triggered reliably with a malicious contract, so permissioned chains are much less likely to be affected.

(We'll add more detail once chains had a chance to upgrade.)

Applying the patch

The patch will be shipped in releases of wasmvm. You can update more or less as follows:

Check the current wasmvm version: go list -m github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm
Bump the github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm dependency in your go.mod to one of the patched version
depending on which minor version you are on; go mod tidy; commit.
If you use the static libraries libwasmvm_muslc.aarch64.a/libwasmvm_muslc.x86_64.a, update them accordingly.
Check the updated wasmvm version: go list -m github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm and ensure you see 1.5.8, 2.0.6, 2.1.5 or 2.2.2.
Follow your regular practices to deploy chain upgrades.

While the fix for this issue is not consensus breaking, the patch contains another
consensus breaking fix and requires a coordinated upgrade.

Acknowledgement

This issue was found by meadow101 who reported it to the Cosmos Bug Bounty Program on HackerOne.

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.

Timeline

2024-11-25: Confio receives a report through the Cosmos bug bounty program maintained by Amulet.
2024-11-28: Confio security contributors confirm the report.
2024-11-28: Confio developed the patch internally.
2025-02-04: Patch gets released.

[^1]: following Amulet's Severity Classification Framework ACMv1.2: https://github.com/interchainio/security/blob/0295254e8645301ccb606d46108a45cede0a73e0/resources/CLASSIFICATION_MATRIX.md

Impact

The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.

Affected versions

github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm (< 1.5.8) github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 (>= 2.0.0, < 2.0.6) github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 (>= 2.1.0, < 2.1.5) github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 (>= 2.2.0, < 2.2.2)

Security releases

github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm → 1.5.8 (go) github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 → 2.0.6 (go) github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 → 2.1.5 (go) github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 → 2.2.2 (go)

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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Remediation advice

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W? GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W is a medium-severity null pointer dereference vulnerability in github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm (go), affecting versions < 1.5.8. It is fixed in 1.5.8, 2.0.6, 2.1.5, 2.2.2. The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash.
Which packages are affected by GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W?
- github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm (go) (versions < 1.5.8)
- github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 (go) (versions >= 2.0.0, < 2.0.6)
Is there a fix for GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W? Yes. GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W is fixed in 1.5.8, 2.0.6, 2.1.5, 2.2.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W 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 GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W 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 GHSA-23QP-3C2M-XX6W?
- Upgrade github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm to 1.5.8 or later
- Upgrade github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 to 2.0.6 or later
- Upgrade github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 to 2.1.5 or later
- Upgrade github.com/CosmWasm/wasmvm/v2 to 2.2.2 or later

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