TLDR
- A malformed transaction triggered a chain split on the Cardano network.
- Charles Hoskinson denied that vibe coding was responsible for the glitch.
- An attacker exploited a cryptographic bug from 2022 affecting node parsing.
- Block production on Cardano continued and network later converged via updates.
A recent technical disruption on the Cardano blockchain has sparked controversy, with claims that AI-assisted “vibe coding” caused the network to halt. However, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has firmly denied these accusations, calling them misleading and harmful. He clarified that the issue stemmed from an old cryptographic bug, not casual coding practices. The incident triggered a brief chain split, but network operations continued and were later stabilized through updates.
Transaction Exploit Causes Temporary Disruption
A technical glitch on the Cardano mainnet occurred earlier this week due to a malformed delegation transaction. The transaction was directed at a stake pool owned by Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson. The bug exploited a flaw in a cryptographic library used in the Cardano system since 2022.
The error caused a chain split, where older nodes rejected the malformed transaction, while newer nodes processed it incorrectly. As a result, two separate chains temporarily existed. One of them continued normal block production, while the other started creating invalid blocks. Despite the issue, Cardano’s block production continued throughout the event.
Charles Hoskinson Labels It a Personal Attack
Charles Hoskinson responded on social media, stating the issue was a deliberate and personal act. He described the situation by saying, “It’s a very obscure, arcane bug that came from a library from 2022, and three years later was discovered.” He further added that someone familiar with Cardano’s inner workings may have intentionally caused the problem.
Hoskinson insisted that the network did not stop functioning and described the exploit as a “highly personal attack.” He also said that despite the attempt to disrupt operations, the Cardano network demonstrated resilience by continuing block production and recovering through updates.
Vibe Coding Narrative Rejected
Following the incident, online narratives blamed “vibe coding”—a slang term for casual or AI-assisted coding—for the disruption. The term gained traction after social media analyst Nic Carter commented, “Some guy vibe coded an exploit which brought down the entire Cardano blockchain.”
Hoskinson strongly denied this claim. He stated that such statements undermine a decade of development focused on formal methods, precise engineering, and tested design. “This is an example of a narrative that is wrong on so many levels,” Hoskinson wrote.
The individual responsible for the exploit, known as Homer J, admitted on X (formerly Twitter) that the exploit was part of a personal challenge. He mentioned using AI tools during the testing process, which contributed to the narrative around vibe coding.
Network Restored Through Node Updates
After the issue was discovered, Cardano developers and stake pool operators deployed updates to bring the network back into alignment. The divergence between the chains was resolved, and the system returned to a consistent state.
The Cardano Foundation confirmed that the network had not gone down entirely. While some nodes were affected, others continued block production without issue. The recovery process involved updating node software to properly handle the malformed transaction type.
Hoskinson emphasized that the situation validated the blockchain’s durability and design. Despite a targeted technical exploit, the system was able to remain operational and recover swiftly with community coordination.
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