Ledger fixes bug where Ethereum app displays inconsistent signatures

Update the Ledger Ethereum app to version 1.22.2: Operating through Ledger Live

Anyone who owns a Ledger device and uses it to manage ether or ERC-20 tokens should open Ledger Live and check the version of the Ethereum app installed on the device. Versions lower than 1.22.2 are missing a security fix. The fix closed a flaw that shook people's original intention of buying hardware wallets-the device's screen should display what is about to be signed.

The incident was made public on August 24, 2026, when security company TestMachine released an analysis report. Prior to this, the fix itself already existed. Between these two points in time, there is controversy about who discovered the vulnerability first and when Ledger will push the fix. For you as the owner, this controversy is secondary. What matters is the version number on your device and what authorizations you have granted in the past.

Ledger Ethereum Application Security Vulnerability: What Actually Happened

Device firmware and private key escrow are not affected. The problem lies with the Ethereum app: These are the Mini programs you additionally install on your device to manage Ethereum and ERC-20 tokens. It is responsible for preparing transactions, displaying transactions and collecting your confirmations.

In problematic versions, the above process may be disrupted. A malicious web application that has access to connected devices can send a second sign command while the first transaction is still on the screen waiting for review. The app will then swap data in memory without a new review interface popping up. The harmless transfer you just checked is still displayed on the screen, but your confirmation is applied to the data after it is exchanged.

According to security researchers, this pattern has been successfully replicated on Ledger Flex. Since most of these devices share code from Ethereum apps, Nano X, Nano S Plus, Stax and Apex are also considered potentially vulnerable devices. Ledger has not disclosed which version contained the error for the first time; the researchers 'comparison started with version 1.22.1, a previous version marked on May 27, 2026.

Clear signing instructions: Why screen display is the real security promise

Clear signing means that on the display of your hardware wallet, complete transaction data is displayed in clear text before you confirm: the receiving address, the amount, and for contract calls, the operation the contract will perform.

This is the root cause of the existence of such devices. Your computer may have been hacked, your browser may have rendered a tampered interface, and your website may have been forged. As long as the device in your hand has a screen that is separate from the computer and displays real data on it, any tampering will be exposed before you press the button. The private key never leaves the device; it does not need to leave because the device signs itself.

The loophole hit the weakest link in the chain. The key is safe and the firmware is untouched, but the final consent may differ from what you read. A device whose screen no longer serves as a reliable basis is no different from a software wallet on an infected machine in this regard.

Race conditions and APDU commands: The technical core of the vulnerability

Race conditions are a flaw whose final result depends on which of two commands issued at approximately the same time is processed first. Such flaws can be tricky because the program code itself looks correct and in the vast majority of cases the process is running correctly. They are only exposed when someone deliberately designs the execution order.

APDU is a command format used by smart cards and hardware wallets to communicate with connected computers. Each step of signing consists of several such commands. The Ethereum app maintains a status that records which transaction is currently being reviewed. This status may be overridden while the audit is still in progress.

Two commands arrive at the same time, with no clear state-this is how the race condition works.

WebHID in the browser: Why websites can communicate directly with your device

WebHID is a browser interface that allows websites to communicate directly with connected USB devices after you explicitly grant permissions. Without it, hardware wallets cannot be easily used in decentralized applications; with it, websites and devices are much closer than many users realize.

The above attack requires that you have granted that access to a website that has been tampered with or hijacked and that you are initiating a transaction on that website. It cannot work remotely against equipment placed in a drawer. This greatly limits the range of people affected, but does not diminish the severity of the problem: Anyone who regularly uses decentralized exchanges, cross-chain bridges, or pledge interfaces is constantly granting this access.

Token authorization rather than transfer: Why unlimited authorization is so dangerous

In this exchange, losses rarely come from the transfer itself, but from what may be secretly replaced with a transfer.

Token authorization means that you grant the smart contract the right to dispose of a certain amount of your tokens in the future without you having to separately confirm the deduction each time. Many applications request unlimited authorization for convenience. Once granted, the authorization does not expire and remains in effect until you explicitly revoke it.

Differences between transfer and authorization

A transfer consumes the exact amount you confirm. In the worst case scenario, an unlimited authorization will consume the entire balance of your token at the time chosen by the recipient. This is why replacing a small transfer with a wide-ranging authorization is the most damaging attack on the signing path. How attackers actually collect these authorizations has been described in relevant articles.

Update the Ethereum app to 1.22.2: The path through Ledger Live

Version 1.22.2 blocks the above path with two locks. The app refuses to open a new signing session while the review is in progress, and rejects incoming confirmations if the status no longer match the display. Version information is located in the release overview of the Ethereum app; the relevant instructions only list the security issues that have been fixed and do not describe the details of the vulnerability.

The update itself is not complicated. Connect your device, open the manager of the installed app in Ledger Live, and update the Ethereum app. Existing balances are not affected because the key is derived from your recovery phrase and does not exist in the application. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app will not cost you any tokens either.

How to identify installed versions

Ledger Live displays the version number of each app in Device Manager. If it appears as version 1.22.2 or later, the fix is in place. If it appears as version 1.22.1 or lower, the fix is missing. It is not enough to just check the version number of Ledger Live itself.

Why firmware updates don't update Ethereum apps at the same time

This is the most common error point in practice. Firmware, Ledger Live, and apps for each currency are independently maintained and updated. Someone updated the device firmware and felt relieved, but the Ethereum app on the device may still be an outdated version.

The same separation explains why reports about wallet security are often contradictory. In related cases, the error lies in seed generation, which is at the lowest level, so new seeds need to be generated. Other vulnerabilities involve firmware. The error here is at a higher level, in an alternative application, so you just need to update the application. Your recovery phrase does not need to be regenerated in this case.

Old token authorizations can be revoked separately: this is the second step after the update.

Check and revoke token authorizations: Second step after update

Update protects future signatures. But it does not clear permissions that have been granted in the past. If you've been using past centralized apps in the past few months, it's worth checking the public authorization on your address.

The blockchain browser and dedicated interfaces can list which contracts are allowed to dispose of which tokens for a given address. Contract authorizations that are no longer in use can be revoked one by one. Cancellation is an ordinary transaction that incurs network fees, so it is best to clean up during periods when network fees are lower.

A side effect that few people think of: Every revocation appears in your trading history and incurs a fee. Those with clear records will have a lot easier time filing their next tax returns; common tax and portfolio tools will automatically read such events.

Disclosure controversy between Ledger and TestMachine

There are two contradictory versions of the incident. The following is repeated according to the statements of both parties, which have not been independently confirmed.

Charles Guillemet, Ledger's chief technology officer, said internal security laboratory Ledger Donjon himself discovered the bug and the fix was rolled out about two weeks before its release. He said TestMachine submitted its report to the Bug Bounty Program later. He described the security company's statement as creating panic in an effort to attract attention.

TestMachine counters that its test system called Azimuth discovered the weakness during automated running of Ledger Flex and shared the results with Ledger. The company believes that at the time of release, no fixes were available.

The verifiable specific facts fall in between. The change log entry date for version 1.22.2 is August 12, 2026, and the signature label in the source code warehouse is August 13. However, it was not visible as a released version until around August 24, appearing simultaneously with security company analysis. A user who wanted to check for a fix during this period couldn't find it there. The technical reconstruction sequence containing these dates has been compiled by relevant media.

Is there any financial loss? Information on known losses

Based on the information so far provided by both parties, there are no confirmed cases where the vulnerability was actually exploited. No loss was recorded, and in any case, the private key could not be read through this route.

This is good news, but it must also explain a caveat. The signature obtained in this way will look no different on the chain than any other voluntary signature. Affected users will only notice the incident when subsequent tokens are transferred out and will likely attribute it to an ordinary phishing attack. Therefore, cases that are not confirmed cannot be conclusively concluded that there are no cases at all. This is an assessment, not a recorded statement.

What this case means for hardware wallets and self-custody

Turning this incident into a denial of hardware wallets would be the wrong conclusion. The attack required granted device access and a malicious application that did not touch the key and had been repaired.

A useful conclusion is another point. A hardware wallet transfers trust from a computer to a small device with its own screen, which consists of firmware, applications and accompanying software, each maintained independently. Security at this time is not a state that can be obtained with one purchase, but requires continuous maintenance. This includes keeping apps updated, clearing authorizations regularly, and adding a second level of confirmation for large currency holdings.

Check Ledger Ethereum apps: Points to remember

Check versions and update. Connect your device, open Device Manager in Ledger Live, and check the Ethereum app. Any version lower than 1.22.2 requires updates, and just updating the firmware is not enough.

Clean up public token authorizations. Check your address to see which contracts can dispose of your tokens and revoke any authorizations that are no longer needed. If you want to prepare a separate small balance address for daily use during this process, a comparison of relevant wallets will help you make your choice.

Record the operation. Cancellations and reallocations will incur fees and show them in your history. Keep track of it in time rather than going back next spring; tax and portfolio tools can help you avoid import work.

(As of August 25, 2026. This article is not investment advice. Price and fee structures will change; please check terms with your provider before purchasing.)