The Ethereum Foundation has just released its first comprehensive report under the ambitious Trillion Dollar Security (1TS) initiative, outlining critical vulnerabilities that must be addressed before the network can safely support trillions in global value. Released today, June 10, 2025, the report represents a significant milestone in Ethereum’s journey toward becoming the world’s most secure blockchain infrastructure.
The Vision: Security at Global Scale
The 1TS initiative, first announced by the Ethereum Foundation on May 14, 2025, aims to elevate Ethereum’s security standards to match—and eventually surpass—traditional financial infrastructure . The ambitious goal is to create an ecosystem where:
• Billions of people feel comfortable holding at least $1,000 on-chain
• Institutions and governments can confidently lock over a trillion dollars in a single smart contract
The newly released report identifies vulnerabilities across six core areas of the Ethereum ecosystem and establishes a roadmap for addressing them systematically.
Key Vulnerabilities Identified
The report highlights several critical security challenges that currently limit Ethereum’s potential for mass adoption:
User Experience Issues
• Poor wallet interfaces that place excessive security burden on end users
• Dangerous blind signing practices that expose users to theft
• Inconsistent permission controls across applications
Smart Contract Vulnerabilities
• Upgrade risks in contract architecture
• Access control failures
• Limited adoption of formal verification methods
Infrastructure Weaknesses
• Over-reliance on centralized RPC providers
• DNS and cloud hosting dependencies that undermine decentralization
• Layer-2 solutions introducing new security complexities
Consensus Layer Concerns
• Validator centralization risks
• Unclear procedures for recovering from edge-case failures
• Need for quantum-resistant cryptography in the long term
The Three-Pillar Approach
Led by Fredrik Svantes and Josh Stark of the Ethereum Foundation, the 1TS initiative follows a three-pronged strategy :
1. Comprehensive Risk Mapping: Cataloging vulnerabilities across the entire Ethereum stack, from wallet interfaces to consensus mechanisms
2. Targeted Solutions: Developing and implementing fixes based on a prioritized risk framework
3. Improved Security Communication: Creating more accessible materials to help users and institutions understand Ethereum’s security guarantees
Industry Collaboration
The initiative has assembled an impressive coalition of security specialists from across the blockchain sector, including:
• Security Alliance, specialists in incident tracking and bounty coordination
• Etherealize.io, focusing on protocol attack surface analysis
• Sigma Prime, core maintainers of the Lighthouse Ethereum client
Future iterations of the 1TS framework will expand to include input from Layer 2 teams, application developers, and potentially regulators as Ethereum’s role in the global financial system continues to grow.
Incident Response Gaps
One particularly concerning area highlighted in the report is Ethereum’s limited ability to respond to threats. Current challenges include:
• Delays in contacting compromised teams during security incidents
• Lack of effective monitoring tools for early threat detection
• Scarce insurance coverage, leaving users exposed to total loss in exploits
The Road Ahead
The 1TS report will serve as a foundational roadmap for Ethereum’s next phase of security improvements, aligning with the network’s broader technical roadmap including the Dencun and Pectra upgrades . By addressing these vulnerabilities, Ethereum aims to build the trust necessary for truly global-scale adoption.
