Snapshot signature not including HeadID will allow replay attacks
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-347.
Summary
Hydra is the layer-two scalability solution for Cardano. Prior to version 0.13.0, not signing and verifying `$\mathsf{cid}$` allows an attacker (which must be a participant of this head) to use a snapshot from an old head instance with the same participants to close the head or contest the state with it. This can lead to an incorrect distribution of value (= value extraction attack; hard, but possible) or prevent the head to finalize because the value available is not consistent with the closed utxo state (= denial of service; easy). A patch is planned for version 0.13.0. As a workaround, rotate keys between heads so not to re-use keys and not result in the same multi-signature participants.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| input-output-hk | hydra | before 0.13.0 | 0.13.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- hydra Vendorinput-output-hk Affected before 0.13.0 Fixed in 0.13.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:iohk:hydra:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 0.13.0 | Vulnerable | input-output-hk |
- cpe:2.3:a:iohk:hydra:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 0.13.0 Vulnerable ·input-output-hk
Remediation
- Fix · CNA hydra (input-output-hk) Fixed in 0.13.0
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-42806
References
Other 3
- https://github.com/input-output-hk/hydra/blob/ec6c7a2ab651462228475d0b34264e9a182c22bb/hydra-node/src/Hydra/HeadLogic.hs#L357
- https://github.com/input-output-hk/hydra/blob/ec6c7a2ab651462228475d0b34264e9a182c22bb/hydra-node/src/Hydra/Snapshot.hs#L50-L54
- https://github.com/input-output-hk/hydra/blob/ec6c7a2ab651462228475d0b34264e9a182c22bb/hydra-plutus/src/Hydra/Contract/Head.hs#L583-L599
More input-output-hk Hydra vulnerabilities
- TI-2023-20049 Hydra's committed UTxOs at Commit validator and UTxOs at Initial validator can be spent arbitrarily by anyone CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2023-22614 Improper input validation in input-output-hk hydra CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2023-22613 Improper input validation in input-output-hk hydra CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences