TRON DAO completes security assessment conducted by ChainSecurity, strengthening network integrity

TRON DAO
3 min readSep 30, 2024

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TRON DAO has successfully completed a security assessment of its Java-Tron client, conducted by leading blockchain security firm ChainSecurity. The assessment, which focused on key components such as the TRON Virtual Machine (TVM), consensus mechanisms, and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) interactions, aimed to proactively identify and resolve any vulnerabilities that could potentially affect the TRON blockchain’s performance, including transaction execution, block generation, and consensus operations.

Key Findings and Solutions

ChainSecurity uncovered several vulnerabilities that, if exploited, could have impacted network performance or even caused disruptions. The TRON development team acted swiftly to address these issues. Below are some of the most notable findings and the solutions that were implemented to ensure network stability and security:

  1. PBFT Messages Creating State Expansion

A significant issue was found with PBFT (Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance) messages, which could have caused unbounded memory expansion, potentially leading to a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack.

Solution: The system was updated to ensure PBFT messages are only processed when PBFT is enabled, preventing excessive memory consumption.

2. Unpermissioned Censoring of Fork Blocks

An attacker could have censored legitimate fork blocks by creating a fork chain with fake blocks. Upon detection, the entire fork, including valid blocks, would have been discarded.

Solution: The new code now filters out blocks from invalid producers before processing, ensuring network consistency.

3. Resource Consumption by Blocks Not Signed by Witnesses

The assessment revealed that blocks without witness signatures were still being processed, consuming valuable resources such as memory, storage, and CPU.

Solution: Blocks failing the signature check are now discarded immediately, preventing unnecessary resource usage and safeguarding network performance.

TRON DAO’s Commitment to Security

Commenting on the collaboration, a Founding Partner & Head of Sales, Emilie Raffo from ChainSecurity said: “It’s always a pleasure getting on-boarded into new ecosystems and being able to provide value. We worked closely with the TRON team to identify and resolve vulnerabilities, strengthening the network’s overall security and performance. We look forward to many more years of fruitful collaboration to secure the TRON ecosystem.”

Dave Uhryniak, Community Spokesperson for TRON DAO, further stated: “Security is paramount to the growth and trust within any blockchain ecosystem. ChainSecurity’s security assessment of TRON has further strengthened our network’s resilience, ensuring that we continue to provide a secure and efficient platform for our global user base. This marks another milestone in our ongoing commitment to enhance the safety and reliability of the TRON network.”

TRON DAO’s collaboration with ChainSecurity highlights its dedication to proactively identifying and resolving security challenges. This security assessment reinforces TRON’s commitment to protecting user assets and data across its network.

Enhanced Security for TRON’s Ecosystem

With these issues identified and resolved, TRON’s security infrastructure has been significantly strengthened, ensuring that the network continues to operate at an optimal level. ChainSecurity’s assessment reaffirms TRON’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards of security, providing a safe and reliable environment for its global user base.

Want to Learn More?

For a detailed breakdown of the findings and solutions, check out the full security assessment report: ChainSecurity Java-Tron Security Assessment Report.

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