Definition ∞ A Wei deposit attack is a specific type of smart contract exploit that manipulates very small units of cryptocurrency, typically ‘wei’ in Ethereum, to cause unintended contract behavior. This attack exploits contracts that incorrectly handle or round very small numerical values, often leading to precision errors that can be leveraged by an attacker. By depositing or withdrawing minute amounts, an attacker might trigger a logic error that allows them to steal larger sums or disrupt contract functions. Such vulnerabilities highlight the need for careful handling of numerical precision in smart contract development.
Context ∞ News in the blockchain security community occasionally reports on wei deposit attacks as a subtle yet dangerous vulnerability in smart contracts. The critical discussion centers on the importance of robust numerical handling and extensive testing for edge cases in contract code. Developers are advised to use established libraries and follow best practices for arithmetic operations to guard against these precision-based exploits.
Blockchain Knowledge
Cryptocurrency Foundation
Cryptospace Newsfeed
