fix: tighten light-client zeroed-header checks to match spec#9419
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ensi321 wants to merge 2 commits into
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fix: tighten light-client zeroed-header checks to match spec#9419ensi321 wants to merge 2 commits into
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…atch spec `isZeroedHeader` only compared `bodyRoot`, and `isZeroedSyncCommittee` only compared `pubkeys[0]`. The consensus-specs reference (`altair/light-client/sync-protocol.md` `process_light_client_update`) requires whole-struct equality against `LightClientHeader()` and `SyncCommittee()` respectively. The loose checks let a non-finality `LightClientUpdate` carry an attacker-controlled `finalizedHeader` (arbitrary slot/proposerIndex/parentRoot/stateRoot, only `bodyRoot=0`) past validation, and `processLightClientUpdate` would then overwrite `store.finalizedHeader` with it. Switch both helpers to full SSZ-struct equality, matching the spec. Also add an `isFinalityUpdate(update)` guard on the `store.finalizedHeader` write site in `processLightClientUpdate` as defense-in-depth, so a non-finality update can never reach the overwrite branch regardless of any future regression in the zero checks. In-tree impact is limited: the light-client consumer was extracted to an external repo in #9346, and the in-repo callers of this code are the spec-test runner and downstream importers of `@lodestar/state-transition/light-client`. The published package surface still exposes the bug to any consumer that runs `validateLightClientUpdate` / `LightclientSpec` against untrusted updates. AI Assistance Disclosure: drafted with Claude (claude-opus-4-7). Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
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This pull request improves the security and spec-compliance of the light client update processing. It adds a defense-in-depth check isFinalityUpdate(update) when updating the finalized header. Additionally, it strengthens isZeroedHeader and isZeroedSyncCommittee by performing full equality checks against zeroed structures instead of partial checks, preventing potential exploits where arbitrary data could be smuggled. There are no review comments, so I have no feedback to provide.
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Performance Report🚀🚀 Significant benchmark improvement detected
Full benchmark results
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Summary
isZeroedHeader(packages/state-transition/src/lightClient/spec/utils.ts:108) only checkedbodyRoot; spec (altair/light-client/sync-protocol.mdprocess_light_client_update) requires whole-struct equality againstLightClientHeader(). Same loosening present inisZeroedSyncCommittee. Switched both to full SSZ-struct equality.isFinalityUpdate(update)guard at thestore.finalizedHeaderwrite site inprocessLightClientUpdateas defense-in-depth.ZERO_PUBKEYexport.Background
A reporter flagged that the loose
isZeroedHeadercheck allows a non-finalityLightClientUpdateto carry an attacker-controlledfinalizedHeader(arbitrary slot/proposerIndex/parentRoot/stateRoot, onlybodyRoot=0) pastvalidateLightClientUpdate.processLightClientUpdate.ts:47-51then overwritesstore.finalizedHeaderwith it, since the conditional was gated only on the 2/3 sync-committee threshold and a higher slot — not onisFinalityUpdate(update). A MITM or malicious beacon-API endpoint could thus point a connected light client at any attacker-chosen state root.AI Assistance Disclosure
Drafted with Claude (
claude-opus-4-7).🤖 Generated with Claude Code