Core DAO executed emergency hard fork to address validator over-issuance bug; major exchanges suspended CORE deposits/withdrawals pending technical review.
Security & Exploits ·
Core DAO executed an emergency hard fork after validators accrued CORE rewards exceeding the blockchain's intended issuance levels. The network operator confirmed the incident was contained and stated the upgrade would proceed as a forward migration without rolling back the network or reversing prior transactions. A small number of validators had drawn the excess rewards, which Core characterized as coming from "malicious validators" no longer able to access additional issuance after the fix.
The anomaly prompted rapid responses from major trading venues. Coinbase suspended sends and receives on the Core network, while Bithumb, Coinone, Bitget, and LBank each halted CORE deposits, withdrawals, or both, citing security concerns or wallet maintenance in the immediate aftermath. The exchanges' precautionary moves underscored uncertainty around the token supply and the scope of potential exposure.
Critical details remain undisclosed. Core has not specified the total volume of CORE issued beyond protocol expectations, the duration of the over-issuance, or whether the extra tokens entered active circulation. The network has also withheld explanation of the underlying vulnerability that permitted validators to claim excess rewards. Core committed to publishing a technical postmortem but had not released it at the time of reporting.