MetaMask Withdraws Ethereum Validators After Security Incident, Says Wallet Faces No Immediate Threat

MetaMask is proactively withdrawing staking validators after a security incident affected parts of its infrastructure.

Cointelegraph reported on October 30 that MetaMask is responding to the threat internally while working with external partners and security advisers. The company did not disclose the specific nature of the security issue, but said no immediate threat to MetaMask wallets has been identified so far.

The move applies to validators used in MetaMask’s non-custodial staking service. As a precaution to protect customer assets, MetaMask is halting operations and proceeding with the withdrawal of the relevant validators.

Lido, the liquid staking protocol, also said MetaMask Staking had begun precautionary measures to protect customer assets. As a result, Ethereum validators that MetaMask had been operating on the Lido protocol began exiting on October 30.

The affected validators are scheduled to complete their exit process by October 7. The Ethereum withdrawn from those validators will return to the Lido protocol in stages after completing the exit, withdrawal and re-entry process.

Will Shannon, a developer at Lido Finance, said ETH exiting validators operated by MetaMask Staking is expected to return to the protocol gradually as those validators complete the exit, withdrawal and re-entry process. Because the entry queue has lengthened, the process could take as long as about 45 days.

MetaMask has not disclosed additional details, including the cause of the incident or the scope of the affected infrastructure.