Ethereum core developers have postponed the Hoodi testnet deployment for the highly anticipated Glamsterdam upgrade after security concerns emerged around smart contract compatibility and gas cost changes.
Security review halts Hoodi testnet launch
The decision came after smart contract auditor ChainSecurity reported significant risks associated with Glamsterdam’s EIP-8037 and EIP-8038. These Ethereum Improvement Proposals intend to overhaul the way gas fees are calculated for certain operations, directly impacting how some decentralized applications interact on the Ethereum network.
According to the Ethereum Foundation, several existing projects currently assume that particular Ethereum operations will incur fixed gas costs. This assumption would no longer hold true under the proposed changes, which could lead to unintended smart contract failures, especially in cases where external calls do not succeed.
ChainSecurity’s October 13 report highlighted the risk that contracts dependent on fixed gas-related behaviors could malfunction if the new EIPs are implemented without adjustments.
As a result, developers opted to delay the Glamsterdam upgrade’s implementation on the Hoodi testnet, granting additional time to investigate potential vulnerabilities and make necessary modifications to existing contracts before moving ahead.
Mini dictionary: ChainSecurity is an independent cybersecurity firm specializing in smart contract auditing for decentralized finance and blockchain protocols. They are frequently contracted by major blockchain networks to assess the security and reliability of new upgrades and technical features.
The Ethereum Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting Ethereum’s development, stated that the Hoodi fork will remain on hold until every raised security issue is fully addressed.
Implications for existing projects
The reported vulnerabilities relate to eight specific smart contract invariants, which are properties or assumptions that developers expect to always hold true throughout contract execution. Any deviation caused by changes in gas pricing could disrupt contracts relying on these invariants, leading to operational risks across the network.
Developers have emphasized the importance of resolving these issues ahead of Glamsterdam’s broader rollout, especially as Ethereum pushes forward with its ambitious scaling roadmap.
The Ethereum Foundation announced that the Glamsterdam upgrade will not proceed further until a comprehensive analysis of gas-related risks is completed and safeguards are in place.
The delay offers stakeholders a chance to audit and upgrade their contracts, ensuring compatibility with the new gas model before any live deployment on Ethereum’s main network.
Glamsterdam upgrade roadmap
The Glamsterdam upgrade previously went live on the Sepolia testnet on October 6, marking one of the last major trial phases before a potential mainnet release. Features in the upgrade include enshrined proposer-builder separation (PBS) designed to improve network efficiency and security, as well as block-level access lists and revised gas pricing structures.
The broader goal is to advance Ethereum’s layer-1 scalability, enabling the network to support higher transaction throughput and more sophisticated applications while maintaining secure and sustainable operations.
| Testnet | Glamsterdam Status | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Sepolia | Live (Oct. 6) | PBS, block access lists, new gas pricing |
| Hoodi | Delayed | Pending security review on gas changes |
The pause on Hoodi testnet highlights ongoing caution among Ethereum’s engineering community, as they attempt to balance rapid innovation with stability and contract security across the network.
