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CVE-2023-40015

Vyper: reversed order of side effects for some operations

3.7 LowFix available

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

0.49%Up 0.4 points since Sep 5, 2023
90%50%10%1%

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 LowCVSS: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 LowCVSS: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_call
  • pop() when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storage
  • create_minimal_proxy_to
  • create_copy_of
  • create_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 MediumCVSS: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 MediumCVSS: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 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
CVSS 3.1
5.3 MediumCVSS: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 LowCVSS: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_call
  • pop() when used on a Dynamic Array stored in the storage
  • create_minimal_proxy_to
  • create_copy_of
  • create_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 MediumCVSS: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 MediumCVSS: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 MediumCVSS: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

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
vyper
PyPI
through 0.4.2 None known
vyper
PyPI
through 0.4.2, plus listed versions
0.1.0b10.1.0b100.1.0b110.1.0b120.1.0b13
Show 45 moreShow less
0.1.0b140.1.0b150.1.0b160.1.0b170.1.0b20.1.0b30.1.0b40.1.0b50.1.0b60.1.0b70.1.0b80.1.0b90.2.10.2.100.2.110.2.120.2.130.2.140.2.150.2.160.2.20.2.30.2.40.2.50.2.60.2.70.2.80.2.90.3.00.3.10.3.100.3.10rc10.3.10rc20.3.10rc30.3.10rc40.3.10rc50.3.20.3.30.3.40.3.50.3.60.3.70.3.80.3.90.4.0
None known
vyper
PyPI
before 0.3.10rc1, plus listed versions
0.1.0b10.1.0b100.1.0b110.1.0b120.1.0b13
Show 38 moreShow less
0.1.0b140.1.0b150.1.0b160.1.0b170.1.0b20.1.0b30.1.0b40.1.0b50.1.0b60.1.0b70.1.0b80.1.0b90.2.10.2.100.2.110.2.120.2.130.2.140.2.150.2.160.2.20.2.30.2.40.2.50.2.60.2.70.2.80.2.90.3.00.3.10.3.20.3.30.3.40.3.50.3.60.3.70.3.80.3.9
0.3.10rc1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE 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

This page doesn't list everything

Left out here: 21 versions. The JSON record has them.

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