TL;DR
The Shiba Inu development team has released a comprehensive update on the Shibarium bridge following a major security incident, outlining both accountability and a roadmap toward stronger decentralization. Developer Kaal Dhairya acknowledged flaws in validator management and key custody, while emphasizing that the project’s leadership accepts responsibility. The update signals a turning point for Shibarium, as the team seeks to restore trust and reinforce the network’s autonomy.
In a candid FAQ, the team confirmed that validator signing keys were primarily stored in AWS Key Management Service, with occasional use on developer machines. Dhairya stated that “ultimate responsibility for key management sits with the project’s operational leadership,” underscoring a commitment to review custody and processes.
While the investigation continues, potential attack vectors include developer machine compromise, cloud infrastructure breaches, or supply-chain vulnerabilities. The team stressed that answers reflect current understanding and may evolve as third-party reviews progress.
The breach, which exploited validator signing power to push malicious exits, prompted immediate containment measures. Bridge operations were restricted, contract safeguards upgraded, and validator signers rotated. Custody has been migrated to multi-party hardware solutions, while live monitoring and external coordination with security firms and authorities remain active.
The roadmap outlines four phases: containment, hardening, safe restoration, and a full postmortem with community review. Restoration will only proceed after independent audits and test drills confirm safety.
The incident highlighted the risks of relying on internal validators. The team admitted decentralization had been deprioritized in favor of other roadmap items, citing challenges with validator applicants unwilling to undergo KYC. Internal validators were used for perceived safety, a decision now described as “wrong.” Each validator had about 10,000 BONE self-delegation, with rewards never withdrawn. Moving forward, the project will expand validator participation, strengthen key-rotation policies, and improve transparency in validator disclosures.
Despite the setback, Dhairya reaffirmed loyalty to the SHIB ecosystem and its ethos of community empowerment. The update emphasized unchanged priorities: protecting users, securing the network, containing the attacker, and restoring services safely. While timelines for bridge resumption and compensation remain undetermined, the team pledged to publish a full technical postmortem and remediation plan once risks subside. The path ahead focuses on resilience, decentralization, and rebuilding confidence in Shibarium’s long-term vision.
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