The independent non-profit research and development organization Ethlabs has issued a formal recommendation to postpone critical decisions regarding the Ethereum Glamsterdam upgrade. The advisory suggests that no normative modifications be implemented and that the scheduling of the Hoodi testnet upgrade be halted until comprehensive external audit results are finalized. This cautious approach aims to ensure the stability of the Ethereum blockchain before proceeding with significant protocol changes.
Audit Focus on EIPs and Potential Contract Impact
The core of the current deliberation involves EIP-8037 and EIP-8038, two Ethereum Improvement Proposals that require rigorous scrutiny regarding their impact on existing smart contracts. To address these concerns, the Ethereum Foundation has commissioned specialized security firms Chain Security and Dedaub to perform exhaustive external audits. These evaluations are designed to identify any vulnerabilities or unintended consequences that the upgrade might impose on deployed decentralized applications (dApps).
Key dates for the upcoming evaluation process include:
- November 16, 2026: Expected release date for the full audit reports from Chain Security and Dedaub.
- November 16, 2026: A public AMA session during the All Core Developers (ACD) test meeting involving developers and auditors.
- November 19, 2026: The ACD execution layer meeting where a final stance on the audit findings will likely be determined.
Risk Assessment and Technical Oversight
Ethlabs has clarified that while certain technical issues have been identified during the preliminary stages, none of the currently discovered bugs are considered exploitable in a live environment. This distinction is crucial for maintaining market confidence while the technical community awaits the formal documentation. The forthcoming ACD meeting on November 19 will be the decisive platform for determining whether to modify the current specifications or potentially cancel the planned hard fork if the risks are deemed too high.
Ethlabs recommends that no normative modifications be made to the Ethereum Glamsterdam upgrade and that the Hoodi testnet upgrade not be scheduled until external audit results are released and clear conclusions are formed.
The decision-making process highlights the decentralized governance model of Ethereum, involving a broad spectrum of stakeholders including application developers, core developers, and security researchers. By waiting for the audit conclusions, the ecosystem seeks to mitigate the risk of consensus failures or the breaking of legacy code. The outcome of these discussions will determine the immediate roadmap for the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and its ability to integrate new features safely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about this topic.
For educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes financial or investment advice. Crypto markets are highly volatile — always DYOR before making any decisions.
Fact-checked per our editorial policy. We maintain strict independence from advertisers. Spot an error? Let us know.