# Contract upgrade authority can be bypassed

An actor outside the upgrade policy can change a proxy’s execution target or equivalent privileged configuration.

**Candidate CWE:** [CWE-862](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/862.html)

## Test hypothesis

Compare authorized and ordinary local actors invoking the actual upgrade path, using a benign compatible implementation that emits a local marker. Inspect the effective implementation and authority checks.

## Evidence required

Exact proxy family, authorization path, implementation state before/after and harmless proof that execution follows the new target.

## Rule out false positives

A configured owner performing an intended upgrade is not an authorization bypass; role-compromise assumptions must be disclosed.

## Playbook and command references

- [Contract state: authorization, callbacks and accounting](https://bug-bounty-field-manual.kmahshooq.chatgpt.site/modules/smart-contract-state.html) — Turn protocol promises into explicit invariants and test realistic local operation sequences with independent accounting.
- [Object, function, and property authorization](https://bug-bounty-field-manual.kmahshooq.chatgpt.site/modules/authz-matrix.html) — Turn identities, tenants, objects, roles, and lifecycle transitions into a reproducible permission matrix.

[Find the associated command snippets](https://bug-bounty-field-manual.kmahshooq.chatgpt.site/commands.html?q=Contract%20state%3A%20authorization%2C%20callbacks%20and%20accounting)

## Referenced by these target playbooks

[Web3 & protocols](https://bug-bounty-field-manual.kmahshooq.chatgpt.site/web3.html) · [OSS & self-hosted](https://bug-bounty-field-manual.kmahshooq.chatgpt.site/oss.html)

## Report checklist

- [ ] Capture the affected version, configuration, identities, and object ownership.
- [ ] Preserve a valid baseline and a negative control.
- [ ] Reproduce the forbidden data access, action, or state change on controlled fixtures.
- [ ] Explain the intended security rule and why the observed behavior violates it.
- [ ] State prerequisites, uncertainty, cleanup, and the smallest demonstrated impact.

## Conditional ATT&CK mapping

No direct ATT&CK mapping selected. Record the weakness and demonstrated impact without forcing an adversary-behavior classification. See the [mapping guide](https://bug-bounty-field-manual.kmahshooq.chatgpt.site/attack.html).

## Primary references

- [OpenZeppelin Contracts 5.x proxies](https://docs.openzeppelin.com/contracts/5.x/api/proxy)

[Back to the complete vulnerability catalog](https://bug-bounty-field-manual.kmahshooq.chatgpt.site/vulnerabilities.html)