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low Input Validation SWC-123 CWE-20

Missing Zero-Address Validation on Critical Setter

SAFE-0140 Input Validation Checked automatically by the scanner
1

What goes wrong

A setter for a critical address (owner, treasury, oracle, implementation) does not reject address(0). A fat-finger or a malicious call can null out a core dependency, permanently bricking the flow that depends on it.

2

The vulnerable pattern

proof of concept — how it is exploited
// setOracle(address(0))
// every price read now calls address(0) -> reverts (or returns 0),
// freezing deposits/withdrawals until (if) it can be reset.
3

How to fix it

the pattern that is safe
function setTreasury(address t) external onlyOwner {
    require(t != address(0), "zero addr");
    treasury = t;
}
◆
Zero-check every critical address setter.
4

Where this has happened

Largest recorded losses in the same failure class — related, not the same bug:

$586M · 2022 BNB Chain Token Hub Input validation · 2022 $326M · 2022 Wormhole Input validation · 2022 $197M · 2023 Euler Finance Input validation · 2023 $190M · 2022 Nomad Bridge Input validation · 2022
5

Related vulnerabilities in Input Validation

SAFE-0073Missing Input Validation / Parameter Bounds medium · Input Validation SAFE-0074Array Length Mismatch in Batch Operations medium · Input Validation SAFE-0072Missing Zero-Address Validation low · Input Validation SAFE-0089Short Address / Calldata Padding (legacy) low · Input Validation SAFE-0255Array Index Used Without Bounds Assumption low · Input Validation SAFE-0304Missing Zero-Value Validation on Value-Moving Function low · Input Validation
← PreviousDeprecated / Unsafe Language Constructs
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