CVE-2023-35163

CVE-2023-35163 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Gobalsky Vega with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

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.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2023-35163?
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.
How severe is CVE-2023-35163?
CVE-2023-35163 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.0, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over physical access with high attack complexity, requires high privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity low, and availability low.
Is CVE-2023-35163 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (39th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2023-35163?
CVE-2023-35163 affects Gobalsky Vega. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2023-35163?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2023-35163 published?
CVE-2023-35163 was published on 2023-06-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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