Solana development, validators, and client teams recently came together to address a critical security vulnerability. Given the threat to the blockchain’s integrity, this move was necessary to safeguard the company’s network.

The coordinated effort began on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, and was executed precisely. They ensured no room for error to prevent any potential exploitation before the wider community became aware of the issue.

Solana Network Security Update

The Solana Foundation initiated the process by reaching trusted network operators through secure, private channels. This initial move was part of a carefully crafted strategy to address the vulnerability unnoticeably. 

The idea was to ensure the patch could be applied across the network without alerting potential attackers. Solana validator Laine revealed that the patch became available through a GitHub repository managed by an engineer from Anza.

Anatomy of a patch

In the past few hours a critical security vulnerability and patch were disclosed on Solana, this public disclosure occured after a supermajority of stake had already been patched to protect the network. Let’s look at how this process unfolded and how 70% of…

— Laine ❤️ stakewiz.com (@laine_sa_) August 9, 2024

This connection was helpful, especially to network operators, enabling them to verify the fix independently. Moreover, the transparency allowed operators to implement the necessary changes confidently without fear of further compromising the network.

The Solana team distributed detailed instructions for applying the patch by Thursday, August 8, at 14:00 UTC. This distribution resulted in a remarkable 66.6% of the network’s stake being secured within hours.

Once 70% of the network had successfully implemented the patch, Solana Labs made the vulnerability public. The announcement, shared via Discord, highlighted the urgency of the situation and urged all remaining operators to update their systems promptly.

Fortunately, the developers were able to neutralize the significant threat through swift action and transparency. This reinforces the blockchain’s reputation as a strong and secure platform in the ever-evolving crypto sector.

Criticisms About Previous Network Issues

Solana has faced increasing scrutiny due to its history of network outages. Despite being heralded as a potential “Ethereum killer” due to its high throughput, Solana’s frequent interruptions have raised red flags within the crypto community.

On February 6, 2024, the network experienced one of its most significant setbacks when block production was suspended for over five hours. This disruption caused considerable chaos, particularly for crypto exchanges, which had to suspend deposits and withdrawals of Solana-based tokens.

The incident not only shook users’ confidence but also ignited a broader conversation about the reliability and stability of the Solana network.

A key point of contention has been Solana’s client diversity or lack thereof. Critics argue that the network’s overemphasis on speed and transaction throughput has come at the expense of strength and reliability.

Austin Federa, the Solana Foundation’s strategy lead, provided some context during an exclusive interview at Paris Blockchain Week in April 2024. He acknowledged that Solana is still in its beta phase, suggesting that the network was not yet the finished product developers envisioned.

Federa’s remarks also hinted at a broader industry challenge. He suggested that other layer-1 and layer-2 networks might benefit from adopting similar beta tags as they continue to build and refine their functionality.