SVM Testnet Update: v0.0.4 Upgrade Successfully Executed - Validator Action Required
Hi everyone,
I am thrilled to announce that the coordinated v0.0.4 security upgrade (Proposal 2) has been successfully executed on the Steem Virtual Machine (SVM) testnet.
The chain gracefully halted at the target block height of 129,370, applied the critical Cosmos EVM and cosmos-sdk security patches along with the withdrawal-payout hardening, and successfully resumed block production. This seamless transition validates the effectiveness of the cosmovisor staging instructions and the coordination of our validator set.
Current Network Metrics
The network is healthy and continues to process transactions smoothly on the new v0.0.4 binary.
Current Testnet Statistics:
- Current Block Height: 131,037+
- Total Transactions: 4,115
- Average Block Time: ~5.4 seconds
- Network Status: Healthy and producing blocks
Validator Status and Action Required
Currently, 5 out of 11 validators have successfully transitioned to the updated steemvmd v0.0.4 binary and are actively securing the network.
However, the remaining 6 validators failed to stage or swap to the new binary at the halt height and have subsequently been jailed for downtime/missed blocks.
Currently Jailed Validators:
Urgent Instructions for Jailed Validators
To rejoin the active set and resume earning testnet rewards, you must update your infrastructure immediately. Please follow these steps:
Update Your Node Binary:
Ensure your node is running the v0.0.4 binary. If you are using Docker Compose, pull the latest image and restart your container:git fetch && git checkout release/v0.0.4-security-upgrade docker compose pull steemvm-node docker compose up -d steemvm-nodeVerify your version:
docker exec steemvm-node /root/go/bin/steemvmd version # Must print: 0.0.4Update Your Oracle Client:
The v0.0.4 upgrade introduced new fields (amount_millisteemandasset) for withdrawal payout attestations. If you are running an older oracle client, your attestations will be rejected by the chain. Pull the latest oracle code and restart your oracle daemon to ensure it is using the updated protocol.Unjail Your Validator:
Once your node is fully synced to the current block height (131,000+) and your oracle is running, submit an unjail transaction to reactivate your validator:docker exec steemvm-node /root/go/bin/steemvmd tx slashing unjail \ --from <your_moniker> \ --home /root/.steemvm \ --chain-id steemvm \ --gas auto \ --gas-adjustment 1.5 \ --gas-prices 1000000000asteem \ -y
If you encounter any issues during the update process, please reach out in the SVM operator channels so we can assist you in getting back online.
Next Steps: Sherpa Protocol Deployment
With the critical security patches from v0.0.4 now live and the network stabilized, our immediate next milestone is the deployment of the Sherpa Protocol smart contracts.
Once the validator set is fully restored to 11/11 active nodes, we will begin deploying and testing the core DeFi contracts that will power trading, borrowing, and liquidity on the Steem Virtual Machine.
Testnet Disclaimer
Important Reminder: The Steem Virtual Machine (SVM) is strictly in its testnet phase. All bonded STEEM, transactions executed, and tokens generated are purely for testing the consensus and EVM execution layers. There is no real-world monetary value attached to this chain or its assets.
Thank you to the validators who successfully prepared for and executed the halt, and to the rest of the set for working quickly to catch up. Coordinated upgrades are the backbone of a secure, sovereign blockchain.
If you value proactive engineering, rigorous security standards, and transparent development for the STEEM ecosystem, please consider supporting my witness: blaze.apps