The Flow network halt controversy intensified Friday as deBridge founder Alex Smirnov demanded validators cease operations. Flow rolled back its blockchain following an exploit without consulting key ecosystem partners.
">According to Alex Smirnov on X, deBridge received zero communication from the Flow team. The bridge provider learned about the rollback decision through public announcements. Flow claimed coordination with critical ecosystem partners occurred before the action.
When Bridges Burn: The $450K Problem
deBridge documented significant transactions trapped in the rollback window. Two deposits totaling approximately $250,000 were processed during the affected period. A $200,000 deposit and $50,000 deposit remain unresolved.
LayerZero holds USDC custody on Flow. The protocol processed $400,000 in transactions within the rollback window. A $220,000 transaction and $180,000 transfer took 1.5 hours to process. Both fell inside the controversial rollback period.
Smirnov raised critical questions about doubled balances. Users who bridged out during the rollback window could see balances doubled upon revert. Those bridging into Flow need reimbursement plans.
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Validators Face Unprecedented Decision
">According to the Flow blockchain announcement on X, the network restored to pre-exploit checkpoints. Initial block heights show Flow Cadence at 137363395 and Flow EVM at 51358233. Transactions between 11:25 PM PST December 26 and 5:30 AM PST December 27 require resubmission.
The rushed rollback could exceed original exploit damages. Smirnov compared Flow's approach unfavorably to BNB Chain's handling of similar incidents. BNB isolated attackers without rolling back global state.
">Lex Node described the situation on X as nightmare fuel. Flow created unbacked assets to cover losses while expecting bridges and issuers to absorb costs. The approach force-socializes hack mitigation expenses.
Smirnov urged validators to pause nodes until clear plans emerge. He demanded proper ecosystem coordination and engagement with security groups. Flow's RPC responses indicate state reversion occurred before new transactions resumed.
The Foundation acknowledged user inconvenience but called the rollback necessary. Node operators began deploying protocol fixes with restart targeted within one hour. User balances held before the exploit window remain unaffected.
