It appears that the Ethereum network experienced a technical issue resulting in a temporary period of non-finality of transactions. Finality relates to the state in which it cannot be changed and has now been restored. The exact cause of the issue is currently unknown, however Ethereum developers are investigating what occurred.

Network data and statements from developers indicate that validators were affected by the issue which saw a huge decrease in the number of attestations presented. It began at 4:13pm ET and was resolved within half an hour, according to network data. Additionally, an update from EthereumPools.info said that almost every pool/operator that was being monitored went offline for a few epochs.

Although the cause of the issue is still being researched, validator data has revealed that the event could have been worse had there not been diversity of software clients available for use. Diversity of software clients allowed the issue to be resolved quickly and cause minimal disruption to the network.

It is essential for the industry as a whole that technical issues such as these are investigated thoroughly and the root of the problem identified so that it can be prevented in the future. Certainly, we can be reassured that the situation has now been contained and Ethereum are actively pursuing further understanding.



Other News from Today