Solana Takes Action Against Validators Involved In Sandwich Attacks

The Solana Foundation has initiated a stern move against sandwich attacks on the network. They recently removed several validator operators from its delegation program due to their involvement in sandwich attacks on Solana users. This decision, described as final, was announced by Tim Garcia, Solana Validator Relations Lead, on the Solana Foundation’s Discord server.

Solana Foundation Tackles Issue Of Sandwich Attacks

Garcia stated, “Decisions in this matter are final. Enforcement actions are ongoing as we detect operators participating in mempools which allow sandwich attacks.” Moreover, the foundation aims to ensure that validators who engage in malicious activities, such as sandwich attacks, are not supported by the delegation program.

In addition, Mert Mumtaz, co-founder of Solana RPC provider Helius, explained that the foundation’s move is intended to protect retail users from these exploitative practices. For context, sandwich attacks involve front-running exploits where attackers place transactions around a victim’s transaction to manipulate the price and profit from the difference.

Earlier, this type of attack was explicitly prohibited by the Solana Foundation via a Discord post on May 7, 2024. Furthermore, Garcia emphasized the foundation’s unwavering stance. She noted, “Operators engaging in malicious activities such as participating in a private mempool to sandwich attack transactions or otherwise harming Solana users will not be tolerated by the delegation program.”

Additionally, Garcia highlighted that the Solana Foundation would take similar actions if the problem persists in future. She added, “Anyone found engaging in such activity will be rejected from the program and any stake from the Foundation will be immediately and permanently removed.”

The Solana Foundation Delegation Program was established to help validators operate effectively by delegating SOL tokens to them. Hence, it removes the necessity for validators to hold a significant amount of tokens themselves. Moreover, validators are chosen based on their performance, but their participation requires adherence to specific expectations and good practices.

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What Has Changed For These Validators?

Despite their removal from the delegation program, the validators involved in sandwich attacks can still contribute to the Solana blockchain. However, they will no longer receive SOL delegations from the foundation, which effectively ends their subsidy.

On the Solana network, issues of Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) arise when validators manipulate transaction ordering to maximize profits. This includes front-running and sandwich attacks. In such cases, validators exploit transactions to benefit from price changes, leading to higher costs and slippage for users.

Garcia’s announcement highlighted the foundation’s commitment to enforcing rules against such exploitative practices. The aim is to maintain a fair and trustworthy environment for all Solana users. By removing support from validators involved in these attacks, the foundation hopes to deter future malicious activities and uphold the integrity of the network.

The enforcement actions are part of a broader effort to combat MEV issues on Solana. In addition, validators who engage in front-running and sandwich attacks disrupt the fairness of the market, causing financial harm to users. The foundation’s decisive action reflects its dedication to protecting users and ensuring the network operates smoothly and fairly.

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