CVE-2023-34451Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Memory exhaustion via mempool list-map desynchronization

Published Jul 3, 2023 · Updated Nov 22, 2024

Resource exhaustion in CometBFT before 0.34.29 and 0.37.0 through 0.37.1 allows remote attackers to interrupt nodes via transaction RPCs. Submitting one transaction, more unique transactions than cache_size, and the first transaction again within one block height desynchronizes the mempool list and map, leaving an unremovable duplicate. Repeated unauthenticated submissions retain and gossip transactions indefinitely until memory pressure interrupts the node; without exposed RPCs, a Byzantine peer is required.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.90%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Resource exhaustion in CometBFT before 0.34.29 and 0.37.0 through 0.37.1 allows remote attackers to interrupt nodes via transaction RPCs. Submitting one transaction, more unique transactions than cache_size, and the first transaction again within one block height desynchronizes the mempool list and map, leaving an unremovable duplicate. Repeated unauthenticated submissions retain and gossip transactions indefinitely until memory pressure interrupts the node; without exposed RPCs, a Byzantine peer is required.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-34451
Published
Jul 3, 2023
Updated
Nov 22, 2024
Vendor
CometBFT
Product
CometBFT
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 3, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 22, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 0.34.29
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 0.37.0, < 0.37.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

CometBFT · CometBFTversion=< 0.34.29; version=>= 0.37.0, < 0.37.2

Published CVSS scores

8.2GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo