- MetaMask users have discovered a bug related to the browser wallet extension.
- In some cases, the plugin constantly overwrites gigabytes of data on SSDs.
- The developers have promised to fix the problem soon.
Users of the MetaMask cryptocurrency wallet have complained that the extension writes gigabytes of data to their solid-state drives (SSDs), putting them at risk of failure. The developers said they are aware of the bug and plan to fix it, according to media reports.
The issue gained increased attention after a user with the nickname ripper31337 opened a relevant ticket in a repository on GitHub. He stated that the extension writes up to 500 GB per day.
The bug affects browsers based on the Chromium engine, including Google Chrome and Opera. The data is written to the Local Extension Settings folder, particularly in files such as 011717.log, 011719.ldb, and MANIFEST-000001.
Constant overwriting of data at a rate of 5 MB/s may lead to failure of the SSD, which is not designed for such a load. In comments on the ticket, users said that the problem appeared about a month ago.
However, user Michael S reported the issue as early as March 2025. Some commenters have already noticed computer slowdowns and other difficulties due to the bug.
It is known that the extension starts recording data as soon as the browser is activated. It is not necessary to run the plugin directly for this to happen. The only currently proven way to address the problem is to remove the wallet extension.
In a comment to the press, a spokesperson for Consensys, the developer of MetaMask, said the firm is aware of the problem. However, he stated that the bug only affects a small number of users.
"While browser extension wallets do regularly write state to disk, which is expected behavior, we’ve taken note of a recent observation shared by a small number of MetaMask users who reported unusually high disk activity," he said.
According to published reports, a fix for this bug will be released in the near future, though no specific date has been given. In particular, the developers are considering reducing the size of each record and lowering the frequency of data writes.
