Ethereum has postponed its Glamsterdam upgrade on the Hoodi testnet due to security issues flagged by ChainSecurity, affecting smart contract operations.
Ethereum Delays Glamsterdam Upgrade
Ethereum developers have decided to postpone the Glamsterdam upgrade on the Hoodi testnet after security firm ChainSecurity raised alarms about potential vulnerabilities in the gas modification proposals. The upgrade was initially scheduled to go live on Monday.
ChainSecurity identified issues that could allow some smart contracts to permanently log failed operations, which should ideally be retried. They reported discovering 13 real-world instances of this problem and are in the process of notifying the affected projects. The firm emphasized the need for developers to review their contracts, as the Ethereum Foundation is assessing the extent of the exposure.
"It has just been decided to delay the Glamsterdam hard fork on the Hoodi testnet because of security impacts we identified," ChainSecurity tweeted.
In response to the delay, node operators are advised to revert to an earlier software version or await updates from their execution client teams. A release from the Prysm consensus client is expected to address the cancellation of the upgrade.
Understanding the Upgrades
The Glamsterdam upgrade, which has already been implemented on the Sepolia testnet, aims to modify how Ethereum charges gas for data storage and creation. It introduces two proposals, EIP-8037 and EIP-8038, and establishes a separate gas pool for new state creation. Changes in gas management could disrupt the operational assumptions of many contracts, particularly regarding how they handle external call failures.
ChainSecurity highlighted that, under the new system, gas can be replenished after a failed operation, which may alter the outcome of transactions that previously would have reverted. This raises concerns about a technique known as insufficient gas griefing, where attackers manipulate gas limits to cause legitimate calls to fail.
While a timeline for the new Hoodi fork has yet to be established, developers intended to launch Glamsterdam on the mainnet by the end of 2026, ahead of the subsequent Hegotá upgrade, which may include privacy features. The delay raises questions about the upgrade's future schedule and its implications for Ethereum's development trajectory.
