Week in Ethereum News, March 16, 2024 - sponsored by Pashov Audit Group
Eth News and Links
Dencun (Cancun + Deneb) upgrade (meta EIP7569)
Mainnet successfully upgraded to Dencun
Consensus-specs v1.4.0 for Dencun mainnet release
EIP4844 (blobs)
Layer 2:
L2 fees drop to cents & below: L2 Fees, Gas Fees & grow the pie
L2s using blobs: zkSync Era, Starknet, Optimism & Base, Zora, Mode, Arbitrum and Paradex
L2Beat data availability dashboard
Finematics EIP4844 explainer
Reminder: write a data blog post for EF EIP4844 data challenge
Pectra (Prague + Electra) upgrade (meta EIP7600)
Latest all core devs – execution (ACDE) call video. Notes from Tim Beiko and Christine Kim:
Pectra upgrade (small fork targeting late 2024)
EIP2537 BLS: discussions on adding decompress precompiles & exposing operations
Potential EIP discussions (but no decisions yet on what else to include):
Case for inclusion lists (EIP7547) in Electra
This newsletter is sponsored by Pashov Audit Group!
Are you developing a blockchain protocol? Make sure to get a high-quality audit. Audits are not silver bullets, but a good one drastically decreases the chances of a successful attack. An “internal review” by your developers is not an audit. Without a formal one many users won’t trust your protocol because you are putting their funds at risk.
In Pashov Audit Group we know for a fact that we can help you secure your code in a painless, high-quality and express manner. We are looking for established projects who invest in security and are looking for the highest quality security partner.
We still have a couple of slots available over the next couple of months. Reach out for security help - pashov.net
Osaka + F starname upgrade (meta EIP7607)
Verkle implementers call video & notes:
Kaustinen-5 testnet soon
DoS vector means clients need to handle trie depth of 14-16
Centralization watch: threatening the value of your ETH
🚨 Lido at 30.81% is far too close to 33.3% threshold
Client diversity (via clientdiversity.org):
Execution layer: Geth 72% supermajority, could cause a chain split
Consensus layer: Prysm 38%, any client bug over 33.3% could mean loss of finality
Prysm bug found on Goerli testnet highlights need for client diversity
Better geographic diversity is optimal, particularly outside of North America & Europe
Layer 1
Reth (Rust based execution layer client) now in beta
Grandine (Rust based consensus layer client), open sourced with GPL v3.0 license
Vitalik: quantum emergency upgrade plan to save most user funds
Client Releases
Consensus layer:
Execution layer:
Reth v0.2.0-beta.2: resync required upgrading from alpha; v0.1.0-alpha.22: bug fix
For Stakers
Stereum v2.1 (node launcher): adds Obol support and SSV Network encrypted keys
Research
Stake distribution analysis: change in issuance won’t change staking distribution
Data availability sampling strategies: lossy, incremental and diagonal sampling
Layer 2
Blast stopped producing blocks after mainnet Dencun upgrade, resolved
EIPs/Standards
EIPs:
EIP7650: Programmable access lists
ERCs (application layer):
Stuff for developers
Solidity v0.8.25: Cancun default EVM version, MCOPY used in code generator and TSTORE usage warnings reduced to once per compilation
Remix v0.45.0: pin deployed contracts, VM state is saved and fetch code for Blockscout verified contracts
Hardhat v2.22.1: Hardhat Ignition default deployment system; v2.22.0: Cancun default EVM version for Hardhat Network
Ethernaut-cli (tool box): AI (requires OpenAI API key), utils, Hardhat tasks and Ethernaut challenges; alpha
Foundry:
Forge-std v1.8.0: uses native assertions, supports packed variables, adds TOML read/write cheatcodes, native string manipulation cheatcodes and implements interfaces in mock tokens
Tip: console.log to debug a deployed contract using vm.etch on a fork
Evm.codes adds Cancun opcodes
Tincho: solc skips code size check for external calls with return data, including precompiles
web3py middleware (v7 beta): class-based middleware replaces functional programming paradigm
micro-eth-signer v0.8: adds EIP4844 blob transaction support
Curta CTF CurtaLending solution
Node Guardians (gamified learning) adds Solidity & Huff quests
Reminder: supported testnets
Security
Unizen $2.1M exploit via external call vulnerability after contract upgrade
Mozaic $2M drained by malicious developer using private key
Blastoff (yield aggregator) 150 ETH exploit on Blast
Juice staking 54 ETH exploit
FindAudit: p2p security marketplace
Ecosystem
EF Devcon Bangkok venue: Queen Sirikit National Convention Center
Job Listings
Certora is hiring: Head of Product, SR-Rust, Compiler Developer, FV Wizard.
🔥OpenZeppelin is hiring: Open Source Development Manager & Product Manager
IFT/Logos: ZK Researcher (Nomos); ZK Researcher (Vac) & ZK Engineer x2
ChainSafe seek a Head of Protocol Engineering
Waku is hiring! Protocol Engineer, Waku SDK Software Engineer & Researcher
TechOps are looking for DevOps. Work on projects such as MakerDAO.
Devcon: Community Supporter, Production Magician & Volunteer Coordinator
Nethermind: Distributed Systems Dev Lead & Cryptography Researcher
Sr. Developer Relations Manager & Technical Writer at Powerloom
Job listings: $600 for 4 issues (75 char limit). Pay using 3cities. Questions? abcoathup at-gmail
Onchain stats
Gas fees (via ultrasound.money): 21.9 to 190.0 gwei, with 55.3 gwei average
Zero net issuance currently at 22.9 gwei
25k ETH net burn this week
ETHUSD: $3,590 - $4.071, currently $3,743
ETHBTC: currently 0.054 (Flippening at ~0.16)
Notable at app layer
Maker roadmap: phase 1 (mid year): launch new brand, stable & governance tokens, lockstake engine and Spark SubDAO; phase 2: scale; phase 3; new L1; phase 4: end game
Optimism We ❤️ The Art NFT winners
Internet of Agents research into AI agents running on blockchain infrastructure
Regulation/business/tokens
Ethereum institutional thesis: a store of value with cash flow
London Stock Exchange accepting applications for ETH Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
FT: Nigeria pressing Binance for info on top 100 users, 2 staff being held
Roman Sterlingov convicted in US for operating Bitcoin Fog mixer
Professor J.W. Verret says Sterlingov was merely an early user
US Copyright Office & PTO: new laws not required for infringement related to NFTs
General
Summer of Protocols 2024 applications open for protocol improvement grants, protocol pill challenge & partner program
UK High Court judge ruled Craig Wright is not Satoshi in COPA v Wright trial
END OF SERVICE: plan to deprecate Week in Ethereum News
Editor: @abcoathup
Follow @WeekinEthNews for the most clicked links
Permalink: https://weekinethereumnews.com/week-in-ethereum-news-march-16-2024
Upcoming Dates of Note
(new/changes in bold)
Mar 18 – ZK grants round application deadline
Mar 19-21 – ETH Canal (Panama City, Panamá) conference & hackathon
Mar 21-24 – ETHTaipei conference & hackathon
Mar 22-24 – ETHSamba (Rio) hackathon
Mar 24-29 – Ethaly (Savelletri di Fasano, Italy)
Mar 27-30 – ETH Bucharest conference & hackathon
Mar 29-31 – ETH Seoul hackathon
Apr 5-26 – ETHGlobal Scaling Ethereum virtual hackathon
Apr 5-7 – EthereumZuri.ch conference
Apr 12-14 – ETHDam (Amsterdam) conference & hackathon
Apr 16-18 – EY Global blockchain summit (London)
Apr 19-21 – ETH Tallinn hackathon
Apr 26-28 – ETHBoston conference & hackathon
May 3-5 – ETHGlobal Sydney hackathon
May 21-23 – DappCon (Berlin)
May 24-26 – ETHBerlin hackathon
May 31-Jun 2 – ETHDublin hackathon & conference
May 31-Jun 2 – ETHPrague conference & hackathon
May 31-Jun 5 – ETH Belgrade hackathon & conference
Jun 14 – EF EIP4844 data challenge deadline
Jul 8-11 – EthCC (Brussels) conference
Jul 12-14 – ETHGlobal Brussels hackathon
Jul 26-30 – EDCON Tokyo conference
Aug 23-Sep 13 – ETHGlobal ETHOnline virtual hackathon
Aug 29-31 – ETHAccra hackathon
Sep 12-14 – NapulETH (Napoli)
Sep 20-22 – ETHGlobal Singapore hackathon
Oct 6-8 – ETHRome
Oct 18-20 – ETHGlobal San Francisco hackathon
Nov 12-15 – Devcon 7 - Southeast Asia (Bangkok)
Nov 15-17 – ETHGlobal Bangkok hackathon
Sign up to receive this newsletter weekly