Summary
cheqd-node subject to Cosmos SDK "Barberry" vulnerability
Mitigation
When at least ~33% of the voting power of the network has deployed the recommended version of the software, any attack would be unsuccessful but cause a chain halt.
Once at least ~67% of the voting power of the network has deployed recommended version of the software, the attack would be unsuccessful without a chain halt.
Workarounds
No. Node operators are recommended to upgrade to the latest release version.
References
Impact
This vulnerability dubbed "Barberry" affects the Cosmos SDK framework used by cheqd-node as base.
It impacts the way Cosmos SDK handles vesting accounts, and can therefore be a high-impact vulnerability for any network running the framework.
There is no vulnerability in the DID/resource modules for cheqd-node.
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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Node operators are requested to upgrade to cheqd-node v1.4.4. This is not a state-breaking release and does not require a coordinated upgrade across all node operators.
This vulnerability was patched in Cosmos SDK v0.46.13. Since this version switches to Go v1.19 and also changes the namespace of many Cosmos protobuf packages, the Barberry fix was backported to cheqd's fork of Cosmos SDK.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-8QXH-2GH8-R923? GHSA-8QXH-2GH8-R923 is a high-severity security vulnerability in github.com/cheqd/cheqd-node (go), affecting versions < 1.4.4. It is fixed in 1.4.4.
- Which versions of github.com/cheqd/cheqd-node are affected by GHSA-8QXH-2GH8-R923? github.com/cheqd/cheqd-node (go) versions < 1.4.4 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-8QXH-2GH8-R923? Yes. GHSA-8QXH-2GH8-R923 is fixed in 1.4.4. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-8QXH-2GH8-R923 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-8QXH-2GH8-R923 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-8QXH-2GH8-R923 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-8QXH-2GH8-R923? Upgrade
github.com/cheqd/cheqd-nodeto 1.4.4 or later.