CometBFT's state syncing validator from malicious node may lead to a chain split

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

2.3 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N · score source

EPSS

No dated EPSS signal available.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Name: ASA-2024-009: State syncing validator from malicious node may lead to a chain split Component: CometBFT Criticality: Medium (ACMv1.2: I:Moderate; L: Possible) Affected versions: = 0.34.0, <= 0.34.33, =0.37.0, <= 0.37.10, = 0.38.0, <= 0.38.11 Summary The state sync protocol retrieves a snapshot of the application and installs it in a fresh node. In order for this node to be ready to run consensus and block sync from the installed snapshot height, we also need to install a valid State in the node, which is the starting state from which it is able to validate new blocks and append them to the blockchain. The State object used by state sync is computed using the light client protocol, which retrieves information about committed blocks from at least two RPC endpoints. The light client protocol performs several state validations and, in particular, compares the state provided by different RPC endpoints, looking for inconsistencies. The State object contains, among other fields, a…

Published by the source

3 Sep 2024, 20:03 UTC

Last modified by the source

18 Nov 2024, 16:27 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:08 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-g5xx-c4hv-9ccc

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# Patch Next advisory brief: GHSA-g5xx-c4hv-9ccc

Advisory: CometBFT's state syncing validator from malicious node may lead to a chain split
IDs: GHSA-g5xx-c4hv-9ccc
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/ghsa-g5xx-c4hv-9ccc (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:08 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Low (CVSS 2.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: github.com/cometbft/cometbft 0.38.12, 0.37.11; github.com/cometbft/cometbft/light 0.38.12, 0.37.11, 0.34.34. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/cometbft/cometbft: affected >= 0.37.0, < 0.37.11; >= 0.38.0, < 0.38.12; fixed in 0.37.11, 0.38.12
- Go github.com/cometbft/cometbft/light: affected >= 0.34.0, < 0.34.34; >= 0.37.0, < 0.37.11; >= 0.38.0, < 0.38.12; fixed in 0.37.11, 0.38.12, 0.34.34

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go github.com/cometbft/cometbft: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Go github.com/cometbft/cometbft/light: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on github.com/cometbft/cometbft, github.com/cometbft/cometbft/light.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-g5xx-c4hv-9ccc (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-g5xx-c4hv-9ccc lists affected ranges: Go github.com/cometbft/cometbft/light >=0.34.0 =0.37.0 =0.38.0 =0.37.0 =0.38.0 <0.38.12)

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