The Ethereum network experienced a major chain split, affecting an estimated 54% of its operations. The disruption occurred because a considerable number of validators were running older versions of the Geth client, which contained a critical bug. This led to these nodes being disconnected from the main network.
Bug Exploited in Outdated Geth Clients
The vulnerability specifically targeted versions 1.10.1 and earlier of the Geth client software. Martin Swende, the Ethereum Foundation’s security lead, confirmed the incident via Twitter, noting that the bug had been fixed in Geth version 1.10.8. Fortunately, most miners had already updated their software, and the correct, longer chain prevailed.
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Swende described the event as a “really close shave,” highlighting the potential for a significant fork impacting over half of Ethereum’s clients.
Past Incidents and Current Resolution
Chain splits are not entirely new to the Ethereum network, with a similar incident occurring in November 2020. In that instance, developers faced criticism for not issuing a more timely update, which could have prompted wider adoption and prevented the split.
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