CVE-2022-35936: Ethermint is an Ethereum library. In Ethermint running versions before `v0.17.2`, the contract `selfdestruct` invocation permanently removes the corre...

Description

Ethermint is an Ethereum library. In Ethermint running versions before `v0.17.2`, the contract `selfdestruct` invocation permanently removes the corresponding bytecode from the internal database storage. However, due to a bug in the `DeleteAccount`function, all contracts that used the identical bytecode (i.e shared the same `CodeHash`) will also stop working once one contract invokes `selfdestruct`, even though the other contracts did not invoke the `selfdestruct` OPCODE. This vulnerability has been patched in Ethermint version v0.18.0. The patch has state machine-breaking changes for applications using Ethermint, so a coordinated upgrade procedure is required. A workaround is available. If a contract is subject to DoS due to this issue, the user can redeploy the same contract, i.e. with identical bytecode, so that the original contract's code is recovered. The new contract deployment restores the `bytecode hash -> bytecode` entry in the internal state.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.3/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

EPSS Probability

1.14%

62.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-668

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Evmos	Ethermint	< 0.18.0
Kava	Kava	< 0.18.0
Crypto	Cronos	<= 0.7.0
Evmos	Evmos	< 7.0.0

References

https://github.com/evmos/ethermint/blob/c9d42d667b753147977a725e98ed116c933c76cb/x/evm/keeper/statedb.go#L199-L203Exploit, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/evmos/ethermint/commit/144741832007a26dbe950512acbda4ed95b2a451Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/evmos/ethermint/security/advisories/GHSA-f92v-grc2-w2fgThird Party Advisory
https://github.com/evmos/ethermint/blob/c9d42d667b753147977a725e98ed116c933c76cb/x/evm/keeper/statedb.go#L199-L203Exploit, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/evmos/ethermint/commit/144741832007a26dbe950512acbda4ed95b2a451Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/evmos/ethermint/security/advisories/GHSA-f92v-grc2-w2fgThird Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Aug 5, 2022
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-35936?

Ethermint is an Ethereum library. In Ethermint running versions before `v0.17.2`, the contract `selfdestruct` invocation permanently removes the corresponding bytecode from the internal database storage. However, due to a bug in the `DeleteAccount`function, all contracts that used the identical bytecode (i.e shared the same `CodeHash`) will also stop working once one contract invokes `selfdestruct`, even though the other contracts did not invoke the `selfdestruct` OPCODE. This vulnerability has been patched in Ethermint version v0.18.0. The patch has state machine-breaking changes for applications using Ethermint, so a coordinated upgrade procedure is required. A workaround is available. If a contract is subject to DoS due to this issue, the user can redeploy the same contract, i.e. with identical bytecode, so that the original contract's code is recovered. The new contract deployment restores the `bytecode hash -> bytecode` entry in the internal state.

How severe is CVE-2022-35936?

CVE-2022-35936 has a CVSS score of 5.3/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.14% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-35936?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.