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Bytes's lastIndexOf function with position argument performs out-of-bound memory access on empty buffers

Low
Amxx published GHSA-9rcw-c2f9-2j55 Jul 17, 2025

Package

npm @openzeppelin/contracts (npm)

Affected versions

>=5.2.0

Patched versions

5.4.0
npm @openzeppelin/contracts-upgradeable (npm)
>=5.2.0
5.4.0

Description

Impact

The lastIndexOf(bytes,byte,uint256) function of the Bytes.sol library may access uninitialized memory when the following two conditions hold: 1) the provided buffer length is empty (i.e. buffer.length == 0) and position is not 2**256 - 1 (i.e. pos != type(uint256).max).

The pos argument could be used to access arbitrary data outside of the buffer bounds. This could lead to the operation running out of gas, or returning an invalid index (outside of the empty buffer). Processing this invalid result for accessing the buffer would cause a revert under normal conditions.

When triggered, the function reads memory at offset buffer + 0x20 + pos. If memory at that location (outside the buffer) matches the search pattern, the function would return an out of bound index instead of the expected type(uint256).max. This creates unexpected behavior where callers receive a valid-looking index pointing outside buffer bounds.

Subsequent memory accesses that don't check bounds and use the returned index must carefully review the potential impact depending on their setup. Code relying on this function returning type(uint256).max for empty buffers or using the returned index without bounds checking could exhibit undefined behavior.

Patches

Upgrade to 5.4.0

Severity

Low

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:N

CVE ID

CVE-2025-54070

Weaknesses

No CWEs