CVE-2023-40015
Vyper: reversed order of side effects for some operations
Vyper is a Pythonic Smart Contract Language. For the following (probably non-exhaustive) list of expressions, the compiler evaluates the arguments from right to left instead of left to right. unsafe_add, unsafe_sub, unsafe_mul, unsafe_div, pow_mod256, |, &, ^ (bitwise operators), bitwise_or (deprecated), bitwise_and (deprecated), bitwise_xor (deprecated), raw_call, <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=, in, not in (when lhs and rhs are enums). This behaviour becomes a problem when the evaluation of one of the arguments produces side effects that other arguments depend on. The following expressions can produce side-effect: state modifying external call , state modifying internal call, raw_call, pop() when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storage, create_minimal_proxy_to, create_copy_of, create_from_blueprint. This issue has not yet been patched. Users are advised to make sure that the arguments of the expression do not produce side effects or, if one does, that no other argument is dependent on those side effects.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
3.7
Vyper: reversed order of side effects for some operations
Vyper is a Pythonic Smart Contract Language. For the following (probably non-exhaustive) list of expressions, the compiler evaluates the arguments from right to left instead of left to right. unsafe_add, unsafe_sub, unsafe_mul, unsafe_div, pow_mod256, |, &, ^ (bitwise operators), bitwise_or (deprecated), bitwise_and (deprecated), bitwise_xor (deprecated), raw_call, <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=, in, not in (when lhs and rhs are enums). This behaviour becomes a problem when the evaluation of one of the arguments produces side effects that other arguments depend on. The following expressions can produce side-effect: state modifying external call , state modifying internal call, raw_call, pop() when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storage, create_minimal_proxy_to, create_copy_of, create_from_blueprint. This issue has not yet been patched. Users are advised to make sure that the arguments of the expression do not produce side effects or, if one does, that no other argument is dependent on those side effects.
- Record
CVE-2023-40015- CVSS 3.1
- 3.7 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-670
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-0266
3.7
Vyper is a Pythonic Smart Contract Language. For the following (probably non-exhaustive) list of expressions, the compiler evaluates the arguments from right to left instead of left to right. unsafe_add, unsafe_sub, unsafe_mul, unsafe_div, pow_mod256, |, &, ^ (bitwise operators), bitwise_or (deprecated), bitwise_and (deprecated), bitwise_xor (deprecated), raw_call, <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=, in, not in (when lhs and rhs are enums). This behaviour becomes a problem when the evaluation of one of the arguments produces side effects that other arguments depend on. The following expressions can produce side-effect: state modifying external call , state modifying internal call, raw_call, pop() when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storage, create_minimal_proxy_to, create_copy_of, create_from_blueprint. This issue has not yet been patched. Users are advised to make sure that the arguments of the expression do not produce side effects or, if one does, that no other argument is dependent on those side effects.
- Record
EUVD-2023-0266- CVSS 3.1
- 3.7 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-g2xh-c426-v8mf
6.9
Vyper: reversed order of side effects for some operations
Impact
For the following (probably non-exhaustive) list of expressions, the compiler evaluates the arguments from right to left instead of left to right.
- unsafe_add
- unsafe_sub
- unsafe_mul
- unsafe_div
- pow_mod256
- |, &, ^ (bitwise operators)
- bitwise_or (deprecated)
- bitwise_and (deprecated)
- bitwise_xor (deprecated)
- raw_call
- <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=
- in, not in (when lhs and rhs are enums)
This behaviour becomes a problem when the evaluation of one of the arguments produces side effects that other arguments depend on. The following expressions can produce side-effect:
- state modifying external call
- state modifying internal call
raw_callpop()when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storagecreate_minimal_proxy_tocreate_copy_ofcreate_from_blueprint
For example:
f:uint256
@internal
def side_effect() -> uint256:
self.f = 12
return 1
@external
def foo() -> uint256:
return unsafe_add(self.f,self.side_effect()) # returns 13 instead of 1
a:DynArray[uint256, 12]
@external
def bar() -> bool:
self.a = [1,2,3]
return len(self.a) == self.a.pop() # return false instead of true
Patches
not yet patched, will address in a future release. tracking in https://github.com/vyperlang/vyper/issues/3604.
Workarounds
When using expressions from the list above, make sure that the arguments of the expression do not produce side effects or, if one does, that no other argument is dependent on those side effects.
References
Are there any links users can visit to find out more?
- Record
GHSA-g2xh-c426-v8mf- CVSS 4.0
- 6.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-670
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
3.7
Vyper is a Pythonic Smart Contract Language. For the following (probably non-exhaustive) list of expressions, the compiler evaluates the arguments from right to left instead of left to right. unsafe_add, unsafe_sub, unsafe_mul, unsafe_div, pow_mod256, |, &, ^ (bitwise operators), bitwise_or (deprecated), bitwise_and (deprecated), bitwise_xor (deprecated), raw_call, <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=, in, not in (when lhs and rhs are enums). This behaviour becomes a problem when the evaluation of one of the arguments produces side effects that other arguments depend on. The following expressions can produce side-effect: state modifying external call , state modifying internal call, raw_call, pop() when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storage, create_minimal_proxy_to, create_copy_of, create_from_blueprint. This issue has not yet been patched. Users are advised to make sure that the arguments of the expression do not produce side effects or, if one does, that no other argument is dependent on those side effects.
- Record
CVE-2023-40015- CVSS 3.1
- 3.7 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-670
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
3.7
Vyper: reversed order of side effects for some operations
Vyper is a Pythonic Smart Contract Language. For the following (probably non-exhaustive) list of expressions, the compiler evaluates the arguments from right to left instead of left to right. unsafe_add, unsafe_sub, unsafe_mul, unsafe_div, pow_mod256, |, &, ^ (bitwise operators), bitwise_or (deprecated), bitwise_and (deprecated), bitwise_xor (deprecated), raw_call, <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=, in, not in (when lhs and rhs are enums). This behaviour becomes a problem when the evaluation of one of the arguments produces side effects that other arguments depend on. The following expressions can produce side-effect: state modifying external call , state modifying internal call, raw_call, pop() when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storage, create_minimal_proxy_to, create_copy_of, create_from_blueprint. This issue has not yet been patched. Users are advised to make sure that the arguments of the expression do not produce side effects or, if one does, that no other argument is dependent on those side effects.
- Record
CVE-2023-40015- CVSS 3.1
- 3.7 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-670
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-g2xh-c426-v8mf
6.9
Vyper: reversed order of side effects for some operations
Impact
For the following (probably non-exhaustive) list of expressions, the compiler evaluates the arguments from right to left instead of left to right.
- unsafe_add
- unsafe_sub
- unsafe_mul
- unsafe_div
- pow_mod256
- |, &, ^ (bitwise operators)
- bitwise_or (deprecated)
- bitwise_and (deprecated)
- bitwise_xor (deprecated)
- raw_call
- <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=
- in, not in (when lhs and rhs are enums)
This behaviour becomes a problem when the evaluation of one of the arguments produces side effects that other arguments depend on. The following expressions can produce side-effect:
- state modifying external call
- state modifying internal call
raw_callpop()when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storagecreate_minimal_proxy_tocreate_copy_ofcreate_from_blueprint
For example:
f:uint256
@internal
def side_effect() -> uint256:
self.f = 12
return 1
@external
def foo() -> uint256:
return unsafe_add(self.f,self.side_effect()) # returns 13 instead of 1
a:DynArray[uint256, 12]
@external
def bar() -> bool:
self.a = [1,2,3]
return len(self.a) == self.a.pop() # return false instead of true
Patches
not yet patched, will address in a future release. tracking in https://github.com/vyperlang/vyper/issues/3604.
Workarounds
When using expressions from the list above, make sure that the arguments of the expression do not produce side effects or, if one does, that no other argument is dependent on those side effects.
References
Are there any links users can visit to find out more?
- Record
GHSA-g2xh-c426-v8mf- CVSS 4.0
- 6.9 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-670
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2023-167
5.3
Vyper is a Pythonic Smart Contract Language. For the following (probably non-exhaustive) list of expressions, the compiler evaluates the arguments from right to left instead of left to right. unsafe_add, unsafe_sub, unsafe_mul, unsafe_div, pow_mod256, |, &, ^ (bitwise operators), bitwise_or (deprecated), bitwise_and (deprecated), bitwise_xor (deprecated), raw_call, <, >, <=, >=, ==, !=, in, not in (when lhs and rhs are enums). This behaviour becomes a problem when the evaluation of one of the arguments produces side effects that other arguments depend on. The following expressions can produce side-effect: state modifying external call , state modifying internal call, raw_call, pop() when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storage, create_minimal_proxy_to, create_copy_of, create_from_blueprint. This issue has not yet been patched. Users are advised to make sure that the arguments of the expression do not produce side effects or, if one does, that no other argument is dependent on those side effects.
- Record
PYSEC-2023-167- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
vyperPyPI |
through 0.4.2 | None known |
vyperPyPI |
through 0.4.2, plus listed versions 0.1.0b10.1.0b100.1.0b110.1.0b120.1.0b13 Show 45 moreShow less0.1.0b140.1.0b150.1.0b160.1.0b170.1.0b20.1.0b30.1.0b40.1.0b50.1.0b60.1.0b70.1.0b80.1.0b90.2.10.2.100.2.110.2.120.2.130.2.140.2.150.2.160.2.20.2.30.2.40.2.50.2.60.2.70.2.80.2.90.3.00.3.10.3.100.3.10rc10.3.10rc20.3.10rc30.3.10rc40.3.10rc50.3.20.3.30.3.40.3.50.3.60.3.70.3.80.3.90.4.0 |
None known |
vyperPyPI |
before 0.3.10rc1, plus listed versions 0.1.0b10.1.0b100.1.0b110.1.0b120.1.0b13 Show 38 moreShow less0.1.0b140.1.0b150.1.0b160.1.0b170.1.0b20.1.0b30.1.0b40.1.0b50.1.0b60.1.0b70.1.0b80.1.0b90.2.10.2.100.2.110.2.120.2.130.2.140.2.150.2.160.2.20.2.30.2.40.2.50.2.60.2.70.2.80.2.90.3.00.3.10.3.20.3.30.3.40.3.50.3.60.3.70.3.80.3.9 |
0.3.10rc1 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-40015 is a low vulnerability (CVSS 3.7) in Vyperlang Vyper, published September 4, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.49%, the 42nd percentile. Fixed in vyper 0.3.10rc1.
References
github.com/vyperlang/vyper/security/advisories/GHSA-g2xh-c426-v8mf
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-40015
github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/vyper/PYSEC-2023-167.yaml
github.com/vyperlang/vyper/issues/3604
github.com/vyperlang/vyper/issues/4019
github.com/vyperlang/vyper/pull/4157
github.com/advisories/GHSA-g2xh-c426-v8mf
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/40xxx/CVE-2023-40015.json
github.com/vyperlang/vyper
Left out here: 21 versions. The JSON record has them.