Vitalik Buterin Warns: Your Crypto Isn’t Safe Off-Chain
TLDR
- Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warns that blockchain security protecting on-chain assets does not extend to off-chain activities managed by validators
- Even if 51% of validators collude or experience software bugs, they cannot steal funds stored on the blockchain due to cryptographic protections
- Off-chain tasks like oracle data feeds, bridges, and governance decisions rely on validator honesty rather than algorithmic verification
- Polygon CTO Mudit Gupta noted that while validators cannot alter Ethereum’s state, they can still exploit users through MEV or censorship
- Buterin confirmed that platforms like EigenLayer address these vulnerabilities through slashing mechanisms using their own tokens
Ethereum…
