Ethereum Postpones Glamsterdam Hardfork Over Smart Contract Security Risks

Ethereum has temporarily suspended part of the preparation process for its upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade after identifying potential smart contract vulnerabilities linked to proposed changes in gas calculations. The decision delays plans to fork the Hoodi testnet as developers work to assess how the changes could affect existing projects and seek further feedback from contract developers and security auditors.

According to a blog post published by the Ethereum Foundation, security firm ChainSecurity recently identified several projects that could face vulnerabilities following Glamsterdam. These risks stem from eight underlying assumptions, known as invariants, that may no longer remain valid under Ethereum Improvement Proposals EIP-8037 and EIP-8038.

The two proposals introduce changes to gas costs for specific operations and the way fees associated with network state are calculated. As a result, applications relying on the existing assumptions could experience unexpected behavior after the upgrade.

Ethereum Delays Hoodi Testnet Fork Pending Security Reviews

Following ChainSecurity's findings, Ethereum's All Core Developers process decided to postpone the hardfork preparations and hold off on forking the Hoodi testnet until the identified risks are addressed.

The Ethereum Foundation said developers need a more comprehensive understanding of which applications could be affected and whether adjustments to the upgrade specifications could prevent potential disruptions before implementation proceeds.

Although the foundation is coordinating with several auditing firms and conducting its own security assessments, it acknowledged that reviewing every project across the network is not feasible. This is particularly challenging because potential vulnerabilities may involve both on-chain and off-chain code that the Ethereum team cannot independently inspect in full.

Ethereum Calls on Developers to Review Eight Vulnerable Smart Contract Assumptions

To expand the security review, the Ethereum Foundation is asking smart contract developers, auditors and other ecosystem participants to examine whether their applications rely on any of the eight invariants identified as potentially incompatible with Glamsterdam.

The organization has published a dedicated repository documenting these assumptions, including technical explanations, practical examples and testing guidance to help development teams assess potential exposure.

Projects that identify compatibility issues are encouraged to contact the Ethereum team directly to report their findings and support the review process.

AI Cybersecurity Investments Highlight Growing Demand for Proactive Auditing

The security concerns surrounding Glamsterdam also come as major technology companies increase their investments in vulnerability detection and cybersecurity solutions.

Cohere's planned acquisition of AI cybersecurity startup AISLE reflects this growing focus on identifying software weaknesses before they can be exploited. AISLE's technology has reportedly uncovered hundreds of software vulnerabilities, highlighting the increasing role of automated security tools in protecting complex digital systems.

Security Compatibility Could Shape Ethereum's Upgrade Timeline

Ethereum's decision to delay part of Glamsterdam's preparation highlights a broader challenge facing blockchain networks as they introduce increasingly complex technical improvements. Changes to gas calculations may improve network efficiency and resource management, but they can also create unintended consequences for applications built around existing protocol assumptions.

More importantly, identifying these risks before deployment could help prevent disruptions that would be considerably more difficult to address after an upgrade goes live. The involvement of independent auditors and application developers is therefore essential, particularly when protocol-level changes can affect multiple layers of the ecosystem. Ultimately, Glamsterdam's progress will depend not only on the technical benefits of its proposed improvements, but also on Ethereum's ability to preserve compatibility and maintain confidence among developers relying on the network.