Ontology Keeps Mainnet Paused After Detecting Malicious Attack Activity

Ontology is keeping its mainnet offline after investigators identified malicious attack activity targeting the network, escalating an emergency pause that began on August 31 over a potential security concern. Block production and on-chain transactions remain suspended while developers and validators respond to the threat.

In its September 1 security update, Ontology said its investigation confirmed the malicious activity did not compromise user assets. ONT, ONG and other on-chain holdings are considered unaffected, according to the project.

The technical team is now carrying out remediation work and upgrading relevant network components before normal operations resume. That process includes internal security checks, testing the upgraded network, validating consensus and operational stability, and confirming network integrity. Ontology also plans to involve third-party security organizations in further assessments.

The project initially halted block production after a routine security check detected a potential issue. At that stage, Ontology said there was no confirmed incident and described the shutdown as preventive. The identification of malicious activity gives the pause a more concrete security basis, although technical details about the attack have not yet been disclosed.

Ontology said it aims to restore mainnet operations within the next 24 hours, but only if remediation, testing and security verification are completed successfully. Until then, users cannot process transactions on the network.