XRPL Devs Now Working on an Amendment to Protect Your XRP Even if You Fall Victim to a Scam or Hack

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) community is now exploring a Firewall proposal that could help protect user assets even after a private key compromise.

XRPL dUNL validator Vet recently brought attention to the amendment. Notably, GitHub records show that Kris Dangerfield, an entrepreneur and XRPL innovator, originally put forward the idea in November 2024 under the name XLS-86d.

Dangerfield’s proposal addresses a long-standing challenge. While the XRPL already offers multisignature protection, most wallets don’t support it in a way that’s easy for everyday users. Many also see multisig as too complicated to set up and manage

On the other hand, the Firewall uses a simpler solution. Once enabled, it blocks attempts to drain an account in one sweep, even if attackers try advanced tactics like disabling the master key, draining funds through NFT sales, or deleting the account entirely. Owners would still have the final say and could adjust limits, update whitelists, or remove the Firewall if necessary.

In practice, the Firewall would work a lot like security features in modern banking apps. For instance, a user could set a 500 XRP daily limit. Any payments to trusted accounts would go through normally, while other payments would face a cap. Also, if someone tried to exceed the limit, the transaction would fail

This design ensures that users can spend their money, but it prevents attackers from wiping out their balance in one attempt. The trade-off may be a bit of extra setup or the need to adjust settings occasionally, but in return, users gain peace of mind knowing their funds remain safe.

XRPL Seeing Impressive Improvements

Such a mechanism has become increasingly important amid recent multiple cases of account compromise. One instance involving the XRPL was the hack that targeted Ripple Chairman Chris Larsen’s wallets last January. Notably, the perpetrators siphoned over 200 million XRP.

As of now, validators have not started voting on the Firewall amendment, according to XRPScan, as it is still in development. If it moves forward and gains approval, it will join a growing list of changes that have steadily improved the XRPL.

In March 2024, the network activated the Automated Market Maker (AMM) amendment, which introduced AMM capabilities and liquidity pools, and allowed users to earn income from trading fees

In February of that year, the Clawback amendment went live, giving token issuers the ability to reverse transactions in cases of fraud or mistakes. Meanwhile, in October 2024, the XRPL added Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), giving users cryptographically secure, self-owned identities that align with global W3C standards.