The BNB Beacon Chain, part of the Binance blockchain ecosystem, is scheduled to undergo a hard fork upgrade known as “ZhangHeng” on July 19th at 6:00 UTC. This upgrade, named after a renowned Chinese scientist, aims to enhance security features for users. With a hard fork, there is a change to the software protocol that validates previously invalid blocks or transactions. While the primary focus of this upgrade is to improve overall security, most users will not need to take any action unless specifically notified by their exchange or wallet service.
Full node operators on the BNB Beacon Chain mainnet must upgrade their software version to v0.10.16 before reaching the hard fork block height. Failure to do so will result in nodes not syncing with the upgraded BNB Beacon Chain peer/validator nodes, preventing users from connecting or sending transactions. It is essential for full node operators to stay updated on these software upgrades to maintain a smooth transition during the hard fork.
The upcoming hard fork upgrade brings two significant security changes to the BNB Beacon Chain. The first is the introduction of BEP-255, which proposes on-chain asset reconciliation to enhance security. This feature will track user balance changes in each block and reconcile any discrepancies to identify and address issues promptly. If there are reconciliation errors, the blockchain will halt block production until the problems are resolved.
The second security enhancement addresses a vulnerability known as the “Rogue Key Attack,” which could compromise the correctness of the Fast Finality mechanism of the BNB Beacon Chain. To fix this bug, all existing vote addresses will be removed when the hard fork reaches its designated height. Validators will then need to add their vote addresses again to maintain the network’s integrity and security.
While the BNB Beacon Chain has implemented some cross-chain security improvements, such as BEP171, developers emphasize the importance of guaranteeing the security of assets directly on the chain. This consideration is especially crucial following recent bridge exploitation incidents. Developers are committed to continuously enhancing the security measures to protect users’ assets and maintain trust within the BNB Beacon Chain ecosystem.
The upcoming hard fork upgrade on the BNB Beacon Chain, known as “ZhangHeng,” focuses on enhancing security features for users. Full node operators must upgrade their software version to ensure a smooth transition, while most users will not be directly impacted. The upgrade introduces on-chain asset reconciliation and addresses the vulnerability of the “Rogue Key Attack.” The BNB Beacon Chain project acknowledges the importance of asset security and aims to continuously improve cross-chain and on-chain security measures.
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