21.07.2025 21:02
A critical vulnerability in the popular MetaMask browser wallet extension is rapidly degrading users' solid-state drives (SSDs), prompting urgent action from developers. This bug, primarily affecting Chromium-based browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Opera, causes the extension to write data to SSDs at an alarming rate of approximately 5MB/s, even when the wallet is inactive.
The incessant writing, resulting from a flaw in how the extension handles data, accumulates to a staggering 500GB of data per day, potentially consuming a full 25TB within just three months. This relentless activity significantly shortens the lifespan of SSDs, as evidenced by user reports detailing dramatically reduced drive health and alarming disk analytics showing a 50% reduction in life expectancy due to continuous MetaMask activity. One user, for example, reported over 100GB written in a single day, a figure confirmed to stop only after disabling the extension.
This issue stems from a background process within MetaMask, independent of user interaction. The bug writes copious amounts of data to the Local Extension Settings folder, mimicking normal disk activity and thus avoiding detection by most systems. This continuous write operation leads to excessive wear and tear, posing a significant threat to the longevity of SSDs, especially for users with substantial transaction histories or large amounts of state data.
Initially discovered and reported on GitHub, the widespread nature of this problem has garnered significant attention. Numerous users across various platforms have confirmed experiencing the same accelerated SSD degradation. However, ConsenSys, the company behind MetaMask, has acknowledged the issue and assures users that a fix is imminent, offering immediate relief by advising users to temporarily disable the MetaMask extension, effectively halting the excessive disk activity. This temporary solution halts the data writing, preventing further damage to users' drives until the permanent software update is released.
