# CVE-2026-54541: Nimiq nimiq-primitives panic in TrieProof::verify

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-54541-nimiq-nimiq-primitives-panic-in-trieproof-verify  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-14. Updated: 2026-07-16  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-54541 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.7 · Published 2026-09-14

A vulnerability in the Nimiq blockchain software allows a malicious network participant to crash a syncing node. By sending a specially crafted data packet during the synchronization process, an attacker can trigger an internal error that shuts down the victim's node. While the node can be restarted to resume operations, this can cause temporary service outages and disrupt the network's stability.

Technologies: [nimiq-primitives (crates.io)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/nimiq-primitives), [Nimiq Core-Rs-Albatross](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/core-rs-albatross). Vendors: [crates.io](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/crates-io), [Nimiq](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/nimiq).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-54541 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-54541 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-54541?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.7, published 14 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** nimiq-primitives (crates.io) < 1.6.0, SEMVER:introduced=0,fixed=1.6.0; Nimiq Core-Rs-Albatross <= 1.5.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-54541?** Yes. nimiq-primitives (crates.io): upgrade to 1.6.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-54541 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-54541?** Check whether you run nimiq-primitives (crates.io) or Nimiq Core-Rs-Albatross 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

- nimiq-primitives (crates.io): upgrade to 1.6.0 or later

  ```sh
  cargo update -p nimiq-primitives
  ```


## Technical details

A denial-of-service vulnerability exists in the `nimiq-primitives` library due to an unhandled exception (panic) in the `TrieProof::verify()` function. The root cause is an unconditional `unwrap()` on a `None` value in `TrieProofNode::child_index()` when processing two `TrieProofNode`s with identical keys, as `is_prefix_of` returns true for equal keys. This panic occurs during the processing of untrusted network input before cryptographic verification, meaning an attacker does not need a valid proof to trigger the crash. The attack is limited to the window when a victim is performing a state sync and has selected the attacker as a peer. The issue is fixed in version 1.6.0 by returning a `WrongPrefix` error instead of panicking.

## Affected products

- Nimiq core-rs-albatross <= 1.5.1
- Nimiq nimiq-primitives < 1.6.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-54541
- GHSA-46wq-28cx-mhw4

## Timeline

- 2026-06-05: disclosed
- 2026-07-16: advisory: GitHub Advisory published
- 2026-07-16: patched: Version 1.6.0 released

## References

- [https://api.github.com/users/paberr](https://api.github.com/users/paberr)
- [https://github.com/paberr](https://github.com/paberr)
- [https://api.github.com/users/paberr/gists%7B/gist_id%7D](https://api.github.com/users/paberr/gists%7B/gist_id%7D)
- [https://api.github.com/users/paberr/repos](https://api.github.com/users/paberr/repos)
- [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/13586855?v=4](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/13586855?v=4)
- [https://api.github.com/users/paberr/events%7B/privacy%7D](https://api.github.com/users/paberr/events%7B/privacy%7D)

## Related threats

- [Nimiq nimiq-primitives out-of-bounds panic in KeyNibbles::Add](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-54542-nimiq-nimiq-primitives-out-of-bounds-panic-in-keynibbles-add)
- [Nimiq Albatross denial of service in MerkleRadixTrie synchronization](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-46545-nimiq-albatross-denial-of-service-in-merkleradixtrie)
- [Nimiq core-rs-albatross DoS in Ed25519 multisig delinearization](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-46542-nimiq-core-rs-albatross-dos-in-ed25519-multisig-delinearization)
- [Nimiq BlockInclusionProof cryptographic bypass in nimiq-primitives](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-46539-nimiq-blockinclusionproof-cryptographic-bypass-in-nimiq)
- [nimiq-primitives: Node crash due to missing interlink validation in election macro block proposals](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-34065-nimiq-primitives-node-crash-due-to-missing-interlink-validation)