Hacking News
XRP Ledger Bug Raises Questions About Supply Security
The XRP Ledger, the blockchain behind Ripple's XRP cryptocurrency, has disclosed a software vulnerability that could have allowed the creation of unauthorized tokens. The issue, which dates back to 2015, involves an integer overflow within the ledger's payment engine. If exploited, an attacker could have created spendable XRP without legitimate backing. The vulnerability was fixed by RippleX developers and confirmed by investigators who found no evidence of public-network exploitation. The disclosure highlights a potential security failure, but no additional XRP was reportedly minted. The concern extends beyond payment accuracy to the ledger's supply safeguards, which are designed to preserve the protocol's accounting rules. The fix was released in XRPOLD version 3.4.1 on September 25, 2026, and over 80% of validators were upgraded on the same day. The disclosure emphasizes the importance of clear disclosures and rapid updates in blockchain security maintenance.