CVE-2026-28402
Macro Block Proposal Validation Bypass in nimiq/core-rs-albatross Causes Validator Crash
Publication date: 2026-02-27
Last updated on: 2026-05-04
Assigner: GitHub, Inc.
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| nimiq | nimiq_proof-of-stake | to 1.2.2 (exc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-354 | The product does not validate or incorrectly validates the integrity check values or "checksums" of a message. This may prevent it from detecting if the data has been modified or corrupted in transmission. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability exists in the nimiq/core-rs-albatross Rust implementation of the Nimiq Proof-of-Stake protocol. Before version 1.2.2, a malicious or compromised validator elected as proposer can publish a macro block proposal where the header's body_root does not match the actual macro body hash.
The proposal can pass verification because the verification process checks the header but does not verify that the body_root equals the hash of the body. Later code assumes this binding is true and may panic if there is a mismatch, causing validator nodes to crash.
This issue affects only validator nodes and was fixed in version 1.2.2 by adding the missing body root verification in the proposal checks.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
The vulnerability can cause validator nodes to crash due to a panic triggered by a mismatch between the header's body_root and the actual macro body hash in a macro block proposal.
Since the impact is limited to validator nodes, it can disrupt the operation and stability of those nodes, potentially affecting the consensus process and network reliability.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
I don't know
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
I don't know
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, you should upgrade your nimiq/core-rs-albatross validator nodes to version 1.2.2 or later, which includes the patch that adds the necessary body root verification in the proposal checks.
No known workarounds are available, so applying the official patch is the immediate recommended action.