Imagine discovering that the blockchain you trusted blindly can, at any moment, freeze your assets. This is exactly what a new report from the Lazarus Security Lab, the security arm of Bybit, has just revealed.
According to the study - titled “Blockchain Freezing Exposed: Examine The Impact of Fund Freezing Ability in Blockchain” - 16 major blockchains have codes capable of blocking or restricting users' funds. This is the first large-scale research that shows how supposedly “immutable” networks can, in practice, intervene in transactions.
The revelation sounds almost heretical within the crypto universe, where the ideal of 'money out of the control of third parties' is practically a dogma. However, researchers claim that the purpose of these mechanisms is to prevent security disasters, such as hacker attacks, theft, and exploits of smart contracts.
“Blockchain was born with the principle of decentralization — but our analysis shows that many networks are adopting pragmatic solutions to react quickly to real threats,” explains David Zong, Head of Risk Control and Security at Bybit Group.
The report analyzed 166 blockchains using a combination of artificial intelligence and human review. Of these, less than 10% had direct freezing functions — but researchers warn: another 19 networks could easily implement this capability with minor changes to the protocol.
🧊 Three Types of 'Freezing' Identified
The investigation classified the locking mechanisms into three main categories:
Hardcoded Freezing (fixed in the code)
The command is embedded directly in the protocol base. Identified blockchains: Chiliz, VIC XDC, BNB Chain, and VeChain.Configuration-Based Freezing
Controlled by validators, foundations, or technical governance. Appears in: Harmony (ONE), HVH, Aptos (after the attack on Cetus in Sui), Supra, EOS, Oasis (ROSE), WAXP, Sui, Linea, and Waves.On-Chain Contract Freezing
Done through system contracts. Example: HECO (Huobi Eco Chain).
These mechanisms act as emergency buttons, capable of halting suspicious transactions and containing damage before it spreads across the network.
🧠 AI in the Hunt for Hidden Codes
To conduct the analysis, the Lazarus Security Lab team developed an AI-assisted detection framework capable of scanning the source code of each blockchain and locating modules that allow blacklisting, transaction filtering, or dynamic configuration updates.
But the review was not only automated — human researchers manually validated each suspicious case to ensure the findings were accurate.
⚖️ Transparency is the New Mantra
The conclusion of the report is clear: transparency should be the new foundation of blockchain governance. Projects need to make public whether — and how — they can intervene in on-chain activity.
As the sector matures, the study argues that well-documented and transparent security mechanisms can strengthen trust between users and institutions.
After all, decentralization does not mean the absence of defense — but rather, knowing who holds the red button when everything goes wrong.
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