A critical hardware vulnerability has been identified in the TROPIC01 chip used in the Trezor Safe 7 crypto wallet, according to a coordinated disclosure by Ledger’s Donjon security team and chip maker Tropic Square. The flaw allowed researchers to bypass firmware verification and load unauthorized code, but Trezor and Tropic Square said no user funds were at risk and that a software mitigation is already available.
How the chip was hacked in the lab
Ledger’s team demonstrated the weakness through a laser fault injection attack, a highly specialized technique that cannot be executed remotely and requires full physical access to the device.
To carry out the test, researchers removed the casing of the TROPIC01 chip and used a precisely calibrated 1064-nanometer laser beam to disrupt the chip’s signature verification process during firmware updates and device boot. By timing the pulses correctly, they were able to force the chip to accept and run unauthorized firmware.
The team confirmed the bypass by loading modified code that made the wallet respond with the message “HACK,” proving that the normal firmware validation process had been defeated.
Scope of impact and chip maker’s response
Tropic Square, the company behind the TROPIC01 chip, acknowledged that every chip currently in deployment could be affected by this class of attack. However, it stressed that TROPIC01 is only one element in Trezor’s broader, layered security architecture and does not store private keys or wallet backups.
In its follow-up analysis, Tropic Square also uncovered an additional weakness in the chip’s “MAC-and-Destroy” security mechanism. This theoretical issue, like the original flaw, would still require a high-skill, high-cost physical attack in a lab environment.
Tropic Square said it is working on a hardened version of the TROPIC01 chip, with updated silicon expected by late 2026 and full technical documentation of the vulnerabilities and fixes scheduled for publication the following spring.
Immediate mitigation: disabling maintenance mode
A software-based mitigation is already available. By disabling the chip’s maintenance mode, the main access point used in the lab attack is cut off.
Ledger’s Donjon team confirmed that once maintenance mode is disabled via firmware update, the difficulty of performing a successful intrusion of this kind rises significantly, even for well-equipped adversaries.
Trezor said it has informed partners ahead of the disclosure and that Safe 7 owners do not need to take any direct action beyond keeping their firmware up to date, which will automatically apply the mitigation.
Why user funds were not at risk
Trezor chief executive Matúš Žák emphasized that the Safe 7 wallet was deliberately designed with multiple, independent security layers. Sensitive data such as private keys and wallet backups are separated from the TROPIC01 chip and stored elsewhere in the system.
This architectural choice meant that, even with the firmware verification bypassed on TROPIC01 in a controlled lab setting, the researchers still could not access or extract private keys. No incidents involving loss of funds have been reported in connection with the vulnerability.
Žák pointed to this separation of roles between components as a key reason why the real-world risk to digital assets is considered minimal, despite the seriousness of the underlying hardware flaw.
A costly, hands-on attack model
The vulnerability relies on laser fault injection, a niche attack category that demands direct possession of the wallet, disassembly of the hardware, and access to high-end lab tools.
Industry estimates put the cost of the required equipment in the range of $100,000 to $200,000, along with specialized expertise to calibrate and operate it. As a result, the method is seen as beyond the practical reach of typical criminals, and more aligned with advanced research or state-level capabilities.
Researchers involved in the disclosure noted that physical security of the device remains a critical first barrier. An attacker would first need to steal the wallet and then commit significant time and resources to attempt the laboratory exploit.
Coordinated disclosure and open-hardware lessons
Throughout the process, Tropic Square worked closely with Ledger’s Donjon team, validating their findings, conducting its own review, and beginning design changes for future chip revisions. Trezor said it coordinated communication with partners and prepared guidance ahead of the public announcement.
This is not the first interaction between the companies. In 2025, Trezor publicly addressed a separate vulnerability in an earlier wallet model that had also been identified by Ledger’s researchers.
The episode highlights both the strengths and challenges of Tropic Square’s strategy to build an open and auditable security chip, rather than relying on traditional closed-source secure elements. Because TROPIC01’s design is open to scrutiny, external teams were able to probe and verify its behavior in depth, ultimately surfacing the flaw.
According to Tropic Square, that openness also accelerates the path to remediation, as findings can be shared, peer-reviewed, and incorporated into the hardened version of the chip planned for release by late 2026, with full technical details to follow in the subsequent spring.
What device owners should do now
For Trezor Safe 7 owners, the recommended action is straightforward: ensure the wallet is running the latest firmware. The update disables TROPIC01’s maintenance mode, closing the route needed for the demonstrated attack and significantly raising the bar for any similar physical intrusion attempts.
Worried about wallet exploits? Strengthen your protection by learning key crypto wallet security practices before your next move.
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