Definition ∞ A single transaction exploit is a type of attack where a malicious actor leverages a vulnerability within a smart contract or protocol to drain funds or cause damage, all within the scope of a single atomic blockchain transaction. This often involves flash loans or complex contract interactions that execute a series of actions—borrowing, exploiting, and repaying—before the transaction concludes. The atomic nature of the exploit makes it difficult to detect or prevent in real-time. Such attacks demonstrate sophisticated understanding of contract logic and network mechanics.
Context ∞ Single transaction exploits are frequently reported in crypto news as particularly devastating attacks on decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, often resulting in millions of dollars in losses. These incidents highlight the unique security challenges posed by composable DeFi protocols and the need for comprehensive reentrancy and flash loan attack vector analysis during audits. The rapid execution of these attacks makes post-exploit recovery exceptionally difficult.
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