CoinDesk
The XRP Ledger activated fixCleanup3_4_0 on Wednesday, closing a loophole that could let accounts authorized to destroy an issuer’s tokens create new ones under certain conditions. The flaw affected issued assets, including stablecoins, but not XRP itself; no exploitation has been publicly confirmed.
The fix went live at 14:52 UTC, at ledger 108,112,129, after validator support cleared the required activation period. A previous activation attempt was interrupted in October. XRP Ledger amendments require support from more than 80% of trusted validators for 14 consecutive days.
Why it matters
The issue involved delegated permissions, which let one account authorize another to perform specific actions without giving it full control. For example, an issuer might allow a payment processor to destroy tokens during customer redemptions, but not to issue new tokens. The correction enforces that separation.
That distinction matters for issuers and users of assets built on the XRP Ledger, including stablecoins. The network’s amendment process also means changes depend on sustained validator agreement, not a unilateral software release.
Market impact
The fix addresses a security risk in issued assets, rather than a vulnerability in XRP. With no publicly confirmed exploitation, the activation removes a potential weakness without evidence of losses or disruption to XRP itself.
The release also includes accounting corrections for planned lending and Single Asset Vault features, including changes to vault deposit and withdrawal calculations and overdue-loan classification. Additional fixes cover token recovery from automated trading pools, permissioned trading and transaction signing.
Frequently asked questions
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What permission loophole did the XRP Ledger fix?
Under certain conditions, an account authorized to destroy an issuer’s tokens could also create new ones. The correction separates those actions.
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Did the flaw affect XRP itself?
No. The flaw affected assets issued on the XRP Ledger, including stablecoins, rather than XRP itself.
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Has anyone publicly confirmed exploiting the flaw?
No publicly confirmed cases of exploitation have been reported.
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How does the XRP Ledger activate amendments?
An amendment requires support from more than 80% of trusted validators for 14 consecutive days.
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What other changes came with the software release?
The release includes accounting corrections for planned lending and Single Asset Vault features, plus fixes involving trading, token recovery and transaction signing.
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