Critical severity · published Jul 17, 2026
CVE-2026-54496
Missing copy constraint in halo2_gadgets variable-base scalar multiplication allows under-constrained base, breaking Orchard Action circuit soundness
9.3
CVSS
0.3%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
ZEBRA is a Zcash node written entirely in Rust. Prior to zebrad 5.0.0, halo2_gadgets 0.5.0, orchard 0.14.0, zcash_primitives 0.28.0, and zcashd 6.20.0, the variable-base scalar multiplication gadget in halo2_gadgets/src/ecc/chip/mul/incomplete.rs used assign_advice() for the base point without a copy constraint tying it to the actual base, allowing a malicious prover to produce a valid proof for an Orchard Action with an under-constrained base point and bypass the diversified-address-integrity check that binds pk_d, g_d, ivk, the nullifier (nf), and the spend validating key (ak) to the note being spent. This issue is fixed in zebrad 5.0.0, halo2_gadgets 0.5.0, orchard 0.14.0, zcash_primitives 0.28.0, and zcashd 6.20.0.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:L
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
Low
Scope
Changed
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.3% · higher than 24% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
HA
halo2_gadgets · zcash
< 0.5.0 · source: vendor
LI
librustzcash · zcash
< 0.28.0 · source: vendor
OR
orchard · zcash
< 0.14.0 · source: vendor
ZC
zcash · zcash
< 6.20.0 · source: vendor
ZE
zebra · ZcashFoundation
< 5.0.0 · source: vendor
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-54496
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-54496
github.com
https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/releases/tag/v5.0.0
github.com
https://github.com/ZcashFoundation/zebra/security/advisories/GHSA-ww9q-8r59-xv46
github.com
https://github.com/zcash/halo2/releases/tag/halo2_gadgets-0.5.0
github.com
https://github.com/zcash/librustzcash/releases/tag/zcash_primitives-0.28.0
github.com
https://github.com/zcash/orchard/releases/tag/0.14.0
github.com
https://github.com/zcash/zcash/releases/tag/v6.20.0
