# CVE-2023-35163: Vega's validators able to submit duplicate transactions

> Malicious validators can trick the network into re-processing Ethereum bridge events, allowing unauthorized credit of funds to user accounts.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 23 Jun 2023
- **Updated:** 7 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8rc9-vxjh-qjf2, GO-2023-1865

## What is CVE-2023-35163?

CVE-2023-35163 is a medium-severity vulnerability in vegaprotocol vega, published on 23 Jun 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Vega is a decentralized trading platform that allows pseudo-anonymous trading of derivatives on a blockchain. Prior to version 0.71.6, a vulnerability exists that allows a malicious validator to trick the Vega network into re-processing past Ethereum events from Vega’s Ethereum bridge. For example, a deposit to the collateral bridge for 100USDT that credits a party’s general account on Vega, can be re-processed 50 times resulting in 5000USDT in that party’s general account. This is without depositing any more than the original 100USDT on the bridge. Despite this exploit requiring access to a validator's Vega key, a validator key can be obtained at the small cost of 3000VEGA, the amount needed to announce a new node onto the network.

A patch is available in version 0.71.6. No known workarounds are available, however there are mitigations in place should this vulnerability be exploited. There are monitoring alerts for `mainnet1` in place to identify any issues of this nature including this vulnerability being exploited. The validators have the ability to stop the bridge thus stopping any withdrawals should this vulnerability be exploited.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-35163?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including code.vegaprotocol.io/vega. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `code.vegaprotocol.io/vega` | Go | All versions | 0.71.6 |
| `code.vegaprotocol.io/vega` | Go | All versions | 0.71.6 |
| `code.vegaprotocol.io/vega` | Go | All versions | 0.71.6 |

Products: Gobalsky Vega.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-35163?

Upgrade code.vegaprotocol.io/vega to 0.71.6 or later.

## Is CVE-2023-35163 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-35163 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-35163 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-35163 is a medium-severity vulnerability in vegaprotocol vega, published on 23 Jun 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-35163 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- code.vegaprotocol.io/vega (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.71.6
- code.vegaprotocol.io/vega (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.71.6
- code.vegaprotocol.io/vega (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.71.6

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35163/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35163/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-35163
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-35163
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-35163

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35163/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.