Ethereum Sets October 6 Test Date for Glamsterdam, Flags Attack Risk

Ethereum developers have confirmed October 6 as the testing date for their upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade, but they’re warning that bad actors could disrupt the trial run using free test tokens and disposable identities.

During a developer call, engineers explained that anyone with access to free test ether could create numerous fake accounts to repeatedly win block processing auctions, then withhold the transaction data entirely, effectively stalling network activity during the test.

Why This Matters for the Upgrade

The October 6 event serves as a public rehearsal for Glamsterdam, checking how the system performs before it reaches the main network. If bad actors interfere by freezing traffic, developers may struggle to properly evaluate real-world performance.

One consensus developer noted that this kind of disruption requires minimal technical skill and could be carried out by virtually anyone with free test funds. Importantly, this vulnerability only affects the test network, not real user funds.

What Glamsterdam Changes

The upgrade aims to increase how much transaction activity fits into each block, targeting a gas limit near 200 million. It also shifts how validators and block builders interact within Ethereum’s core protocol.

Tighter Timeline for Developers

Client teams now have until September 29 to prepare software, cutting the usual security review window in half. Developers accepted this shorter timeline since the test network is easier to recover if issues arise. A mainnet launch date remains unset.