# CVE-2026-41584: Zebra has rk Identity Point Panic in Transaction Verification

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-41584-zebra-has-rk-identity-point-panic-in-transaction-verification  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-04-18. Updated: 2026-05-11  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-41584 · Severity: critical · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2026-04-18

# rk Identity Point Panic in Transaction Verification

## Summary

Orchard transactions contain a `rk` field which is a randomized validating key and also an elliptic curve point. The Zcash specification allows the field to be the identity (a "zero" value), however, the `orchard` crate which is used to verify Orchard proofs would panic when fed a `rk` with the identity value. Thus an attacker could send a crafted transaction that would make a Zebra node crash.

## Severity

**Critical** - This is a Denial of Service Vulnerability that could allow an attacker to crash Zebra nodes.

## Affected Versions

All Zebra versions prior to **version 4.3.1**.

## Description

The vulnerability exists in the `circuits.rs` file of the `orchard` crate; it attempts to get the coordinates of the `rk` value and calls `unwrap()` on the results, which causes a panic if `rk` is the identity.

Zebra parses `rk` as a byte vector; it creates an Orchard "bundle" using the `orchard` crate and then calls the same crate to verify it, triggering the panic.

An attacker could exploit this by:
1. Creating a transaction with a identity `rk`
2. Submitting it to a Zebra node, making it crash

## Impact

**Denial of Service**

* **Attack Vector:** Network.
* **Effect:** Node crash.
* **Scope:** Any impacted Zebra node.

## Fixed Versions

This issue is fixed in **Zebra 4.3.1**. 

The fix was agreed with `zcashd` developers (which has the same issue) to not allow the identity `rk` anymore and change the specification as such. Zebra now does this when parsing a transaction. This was deemed easier than fixing the issue in `orchard`, which would make the bug public before the nodes could be patched.

## Mitigation

Users should upgrade to **Zebra 4.3.1** or later immediately. 

There are no known workarounds for this issue. Immediate upgrade is the only way to ensure the node remains not vulnerable to denial of service.

## Credits

Thanks to Alex “Scalar” Sol for finding and reporting the issue.

Technologies: [zebra-chain (crates.io)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/zebra-chain), [zebrad (crates.io)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/zebrad). Vendors: [crates.io](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/crates-io).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-41584 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-41584 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-41584?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 18 April 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** zebra-chain (crates.io) < 6.0.2, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=6.0.2; zebrad (crates.io) < 4.3.1, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=4.3.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-41584?** Yes. zebra-chain (crates.io): upgrade to 6.0.2 or later; zebrad (crates.io): upgrade to 4.3.1 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-41584?** Check whether you run zebra-chain (crates.io) or zebrad (crates.io) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- zebra-chain (crates.io): upgrade to 6.0.2 or later

  ```sh
  cargo update -p zebra-chain
  ```

- zebrad (crates.io): upgrade to 4.3.1 or later

  ```sh
  cargo update -p zebrad
  ```


## Affected products

- zebra-chain (crates.io) < 6.0.2, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=6.0.2
- zebrad (crates.io) < 4.3.1, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=4.3.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-41584
- GHSA-452v-w3gx-72wg

## References

- [https://api.github.com/users/conradoplg](https://api.github.com/users/conradoplg)
- [https://github.com/conradoplg](https://github.com/conradoplg)
- [https://api.github.com/users/conradoplg/gists%7B/gist_id%7D](https://api.github.com/users/conradoplg/gists%7B/gist_id%7D)
- [https://api.github.com/users/conradoplg/repos](https://api.github.com/users/conradoplg/repos)
- [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/35766?v=4](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/35766?v=4)
- [https://api.github.com/users/conradoplg/events%7B/privacy%7D](https://api.github.com/users/conradoplg/events%7B/privacy%7D)

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- [ZcashFoundation Zebra process abort via repeated shielded transactions](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-52739-zcashfoundation-zebra-process-abort-via-repeated-shielded)
- [ZcashFoundation Zebra denial of service via balance overflow in state writer](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-52738-zcashfoundation-zebra-denial-of-service-via-balance-overflow-in)
- [Zcash Zebra sync restart poisoning via above-lookahead block](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-52737-zcash-zebra-sync-restart-poisoning-via-above-lookahead-block)
- [ZcashFoundation Zebra block suppression via same-header body poisoning](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-52736-zcashfoundation-zebra-block-suppression-via-same-header-body)