Summary
Cosmos SDK's Integer Overflow vulnerability in its Validator Rewards pool can cause a chain halt
Description
Name: ISA-2025-005: Integer Overflow in Cosmos SDK
Component: CosmosSDK
Criticality: High (Considerable Impact; Likely Likelihood per ACMv1.2)
Affected versions: <= v0.50.13, <= 0.53.2
Affected users: Validators, Full nodes, Users on chains that utilize the distribution module
Cosmos SDK chains in unpatched releases that use the x/distribution module are affected.
Description
An issue was discovered in the distribution module where a malicious deposit into the Validator Rewards pool would result in an integer overflow that would cause a chain halt. A malicious validator can interact with the distribution module to introduce this state.
Patches
Has the problem been patched? What versions should users upgrade to?
The new Cosmos SDK release v0.50.14 and v0.53.3 fix this issue.
There are no known workarounds for this issue. It is advised that chains apply the update.
This issue was reported to the Cosmos Bug Bounty Program by myte1111111 on HackerOne on April 15, 2025. 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.
If you have questions about Interchain security efforts, please reach out to our official communication channel at [email protected]. For more information about the Interchain Foundation’s engagement with Amulet, and to sign up for security notification emails, please see https://github.com/interchainio/security.
Impact
An arithmetic operation produces a value that exceeds the integer type's maximum, causing it to wrap to an unexpected small value. Typical impact: incorrect size calculations leading to heap overflows or logic errors.
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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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk to 0.50.14 or later; github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk to 0.53.3 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-P22H-3M2V-CMGH? GHSA-P22H-3M2V-CMGH is a high-severity integer overflow or wraparound vulnerability in github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk (go), affecting versions < 0.50.14. It is fixed in 0.50.14, 0.53.3. An arithmetic operation produces a value that exceeds the integer type's maximum, causing it to wrap to an unexpected small value.
- Which versions of github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk are affected by GHSA-P22H-3M2V-CMGH? github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk (go) versions < 0.50.14 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-P22H-3M2V-CMGH? Yes. GHSA-P22H-3M2V-CMGH is fixed in 0.50.14, 0.53.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-P22H-3M2V-CMGH exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-P22H-3M2V-CMGH 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-P22H-3M2V-CMGH 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-P22H-3M2V-CMGH?
- Upgrade
github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdkto 0.50.14 or later - Upgrade
github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdkto 0.53.3 or later
- Upgrade