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Blockchain Autopsies - Analyzing selfdestructs by Jay Little (Devcon4)

135 views · Published 11 December 2018 · 6:21 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: Ethereum Foundation · 2018 · Science & Technology

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https://archive.devcon.org/archive/watch/4/blockchain-autopsies-analyzing-selfdestructs

On the blockchain, contracts may be lost but are never forgotten. Of the over 1,800,000 Ethereum smart contracts ever created, more than 54,000 are empty. When a contract’s purpose is fulfilled, the owner typically triggers a self-destruct switch that removes code and state. These steps are similar to what an attacker would do after hijacking a contract. Is it likely the selfdestruct was intentional or performed by a trusted third party? Or was it a hack or fraud? Old contracts have been purged from the world computer’s working memory but they can be reconstructed and analyzed. By investigating the transactions leading up to the selfdestruct, the circumstances of contract deaths can be determined.

Speaker(s): Jay Little
Skill level: Intermediate
Track: Security
Keywords: contracts, intentions, selfdestruct

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Blockchain Autopsies - Analyzing selfdestructs by Jay Little (Devcon4)

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