In the vast and tumultuous realm of the digital age, where the shadows of the early internet whisper secrets to the bold, a peculiar phenomenon has emerged-a revival of the long-forgotten HTTP 402 “Payment Required” status code. Ah, the audacity of those who dare to resurrect a relic from the past, now cloaked in the garb of cryptocurrency! 🕰️💸
The notion, though simple in its inception, is as grand as it is perilous. To demand payment before access, a concept once deemed obsolete, now dances on the precipice of innovation. Yet, as with all endeavors born of ambition, the path is fraught with pitfalls. The x402 ecosystem, a tapestry of tokens and tools, has woven itself into the fabric of the crypto world, but at what cost? 🧵
Behold, the frenzy! Dozens of projects, each more whimsical than the last, have embraced the 402 theme, from humble tokens to cross-chain marvels. Yet, amid the clamor, a shadow looms-speculation, that fickle companion of progress, has taken root. Many of these ventures, born of haste and greed, lack the basic safeguards of prudence. 🕵️♂️
Enter GoPlus Security, the vigilant guardian of blockchain sanctity, who has cast its discerning eye upon over 30 x402-related projects. With the precision of a scholar and the fervor of a prophet, it has unveiled a tapestry of risks, each thread a warning to the unwary. 🚦
What GoPlus Found
With its AI-assisted auditing engine, GoPlus scrutinized projects listed in the hallowed halls of Binance Wallet, OKX Wallet, and community-flagged lists. Alas, the majority bore the scars of high-risk folly. A veritable carnival of vulnerabilities, if you will. 🎪
– GoPlus Security 🚦 (@GoPlusSecurity) November 17, 2025
The report, a chronicle of caution, unveils categories of peril:
The Tyranny of Unchecked Power
Some contracts bestow upon their masters the ability to siphon tokens from the contract or its users. A power that, if misused, could plunge the innocent into despair. 🕳️
The Peril of Repeated Signatures
Actions approved by digital signatures, yet devoid of safeguards like nonces or expiration, invite the specter of replay attacks. A dance of deception, if you will. 🕺
The Honeytrap of Deception
Contracts that appear benign, yet harbor traps for the unwary. A trapdoor, if you will, that springs shut when least expected. 🐝
The Madness of Unchecked Minting
Tokens that mint without restraint, a flood of value that drowns the market. A tragedy of abundance. 🌊
Recent x402-Related Incidents
- October 28: The cross-chain protocol @402bridge fell prey to excessive authorization, a tale of stolen USDC and shattered trust. 🛡️💸
- November 12: The project Hello402, a beacon of hope, succumbed to unlimited minting and centralization, a cautionary tale of decline. 📉
Project-Specific Findings
GoPlus, in its wisdom, has cataloged contracts rife with peril. Their warnings, as precise as they are dire:
- FLOCK (0x5ab3): “The transferERC20 function allows the owner to extract any amount of any token from the contract.” 🧠
- x420 (0x68e2): “The crosschainMint function can mint tokens without restrictions.” 🚨
- U402 (0xd2b3): “The mintByBond function allows a bond to mint tokens without restrictions.” 🧪
- MRDN (0xe57e): “The withdrawToken function allows the owner to extract any amount of any token from the contract.” 🧟♂️
- PENG (0x4444ee, 0x444450, 0x444428): “The manualSwap function allows owner to extract ETH from the contract, and the transferFrom function bypasses allowance checks for special accounts.” 🧙♂️
- x402Token (0x40ff): “The transferFrom function bypasses allowance checks for special accounts.” 🧙♀️
- x402b (0xd8af5f): “The manualSwap function allows owner to extract ETH from the contract, and the transferFrom function bypasses allowance checks for special accounts.” 🧙♂️
- x402MO (0x3c47df): “The manualSwap function allows owner to extract ETH from the contract, and the transferFrom function bypasses allowance checks for special accounts.” 🧙♀️
- H402 (Old) (0x8bc76a): “The withdrawDevToken function allows owner to directly mint tokens, and addTokenCredits+redeemTokenCredits functions enable unlimited minting.” 🧙♂️
These examples, a mosaic of folly, reveal a pattern: a reliance on structures that concentrate power or unleash chaos. A lesson, if only the heedless would listen. 📜
A Growing Sector with Uneven Standards
The x402 trend, like a tempest, has swept through the crypto world, drawing in developers, traders, and opportunists alike. Yet, as with all storms, the pace of creation has outstripped the care of its architects. 🌪️
GoPlus Security, ever the vigilant sentinel, vows to continue its scrutiny of x402-related code, a task as vital as it is arduous. For users, the report serves as a reminder: even the most noble of ideas may be shrouded in peril. 🧭
O noble seekers of fortune, take heed! The allure of the new, even when rooted in the old, must be tempered with wisdom. For in the realm of the digital, as in the world of men, the line between innovation and folly is but a whisper. 📖
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2025-11-17 15:43