Skip to main content

How Did the Ethereum Hard Fork Specifically Address the Funds Stolen from the DAO?

The hard fork was implemented by deploying a special smart contract to the new chain. This contract had one purpose: to move all the Ether from The DAO's contract address to a new withdrawal contract, which allowed the original token holders to reclaim their funds.

This was a non-consensus-breaking change for future blocks, but it explicitly modified the state of the blockchain to nullify the effects of the attack.

What Is the Difference between a Hard Fork and a Soft Fork in Cryptocurrency?
What Is a ‘Soft Fork’ versus a ‘Hard Fork’ in Blockchain Upgrades?
What Is the Difference between a Soft Fork and a Hard Fork?
How Might a Hard Fork Impact the Value of a Financial Derivative Based on the Original Asset?