HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2023-40014
MEDIUM

CVE-2023-40014

CWE-116Published: August 10, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

5.3
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

OpenZeppelin Contracts is a library for secure smart contract development. Starting in version 4.0.0 and prior to version 4.9.3, contracts using `ERC2771Context` along with a custom trusted forwarder may see `_msgSender` return `address(0)` in calls that originate from the forwarder with calldata shorter than 20 bytes. This combination of circumstances does not appear to be common, in particular it is not the case for `MinimalForwarder` from OpenZeppelin Contracts, or any deployed forwarder the team is aware of, given that the signer address is appended to all calls that originate from these forwarders. The problem has been patched in v4.9.3.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-40014 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

openzeppelin2 product(s)
openzeppelin contractsopenzeppelin contracts-upgradable
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/commit/9445f96223041abf2bf08daa56f8da50b674cbcd
PATCHhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/commit/e4435eed757d4309436b1e06608e97b6d6e2fdb5
PATCHhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/4481
PATCHhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/4484
PATCHhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/commit/9445f96223041abf2bf08daa56f8da50b674cbcd
PATCHhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/commit/e4435eed757d4309436b1e06608e97b6d6e2fdb5
PATCHhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/4481
PATCHhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/4484
ADVISORYhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/security/advisories/GHSA-g4vp-m682-qqmp
ADVISORYhttps://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/security/advisories/GHSA-g4vp-m682-qqmp

All References (12)

→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/commit/9445f96223041abf2bf08daa56f8da50b674cbcdPatch
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/commit/e4435eed757d4309436b1e06608e97b6d6e2fdb5Patch
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/4481Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/4484Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/releases/tag/v4.9.3Release Notes
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/security/advisories/GHSA-g4vp-m682-qqmpVendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/commit/9445f96223041abf2bf08daa56f8da50b674cbcdPatch
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/commit/e4435eed757d4309436b1e06608e97b6d6e2fdb5Patch
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/4481Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/pull/4484Patch · Vendor Advisory
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/releases/tag/v4.9.3Release Notes
→
https://github.com/OpenZeppelin/openzeppelin-contracts/security/advisories/GHSA-g4vp-m682-qqmpVendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2023-40014
CVSS Score5.3 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-116
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedAug 10, 2023

Related CVEs (CWE-116)

CVE-2026-48358
10.0
CVE-2025-55730
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CVE-2025-55729
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CVE-2024-31866
9.8
CVE-2020-36599
9.8
CVE-2022-35153
9.8

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2023-40014 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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