Zcash has successfully completed a follow-up security audit using Anthropic’s Mythos system, according to a June 13, 2026 announcement by founder Zooko Wilcox. This review, requested by Shielded Labs, confirmed there are no additional critical vulnerabilities in the Zcash protocol following the recent discovery and subsequent patching of a flaw within Orchard, the blockchain’s primary shielded transaction pool. The initial vulnerability, identified on May 29 by security researcher Taylor Hornby through an audit using Anthropic’s Opus 4.8 model, could have theoretically allowed an attacker to create an unlimited amount of counterfeit ZEC tokens.

The Zcash ecosystem responded to the flaw through an emergency coordination process before technical details were disclosed. Josh Swihart, founder of the Zcash Open Development Lab, stated that developers first deployed a soft fork to temporarily disable Orchard transactions. This was followed by the NU6.2 hard fork, which went live on June 3, removing the vulnerability and allowing the pool to be re-enabled. While Shielded Labs acknowledged there is no cryptographic proof confirming the vulnerability was never exploited, they noted that previous exploitation appeared unlikely. Multiple organizations, including the Zcash Foundation, Tachyon Group, and Valar Group, participated in the security-hardening efforts following the incident.

In addition to these security audits, Wilcox continues to promote the proposed Ironwood upgrade. This update aims to allow users to independently verify Zcash’s circulating supply by aggregating balances held across active pools. Ironwood is expected to introduce new locations for holding shielded ZEC, place restrictions on transactions involving counterfeit assets, and integrate further AI-assisted auditing protocols. The activation timeline for Ironwood remains pending based on ongoing development and community feedback.

Market data shows that ZEC prices experienced significant volatility following the Orchard disclosure, losing over 50% of their value between June 4 and June 5. After rebounding to $478.70 on June 9, the token has since pulled back to approximately $417. Technical indicators on the four-hour chart show ZEC struggling below the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level of $418.60 and facing resistance near the $465 mark. Analysts suggest that if the token fails to reclaim the $465-$470 area, it may face a retest of support levels near $355, which aligns with the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement. Buying pressure has notably weakened as investors shift away from risk assets amid broader geopolitical tensions.

Zcash has successfully completed a follow-up security audit using Anthropic’s Mythos system, according to a June 13, 2026 announcement by founder Zooko Wilcox. This review, requested by Shielded Labs, confirmed there are no additional critical vulnerabilities in the Zcash protocol following the recent discovery and subsequent patching of a flaw within Orchard, the blockchain’s primary shielded transaction pool. The initial vulnerability, identified on May 29 by security researcher Taylor Hornby through an audit using Anthropic’s Opus 4.8 model, could have theoretically allowed an attacker to create an unlimited amount of counterfeit ZEC tokens.

The Zcash ecosystem responded to the flaw through an emergency coordination process before technical details were disclosed. Josh Swihart, founder of the Zcash Open Development Lab, stated that developers first deployed a soft fork to temporarily disable Orchard transactions. This was followed by the NU6.2 hard fork, which went live on June 3, removing the vulnerability and allowing the pool to be re-enabled. While Shielded Labs acknowledged there is no cryptographic proof confirming the vulnerability was never exploited, they noted that previous exploitation appeared unlikely. Multiple organizations, including the Zcash Foundation, Tachyon Group, and Valar Group, participated in the security-hardening efforts following the incident.

In addition to these security audits, Wilcox continues to promote the proposed Ironwood upgrade. This update aims to allow users to independently verify Zcash’s circulating supply by aggregating balances held across active pools. Ironwood is expected to introduce new locations for holding shielded ZEC, place restrictions on transactions involving counterfeit assets, and integrate further AI-assisted auditing protocols. The activation timeline for Ironwood remains pending based on ongoing development and community feedback.

Market data shows that ZEC prices experienced significant volatility following the Orchard disclosure, losing over 50% of their value between June 4 and June 5. After rebounding to $478.70 on June 9, the token has since pulled back to approximately $417. Technical indicators on the four-hour chart show ZEC struggling below the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level of $418.60 and facing resistance near the $465 mark. Analysts suggest that if the token fails to reclaim the $465-$470 area, it may face a retest of support levels near $355, which aligns with the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement. Buying pressure has notably weakened as investors shift away from risk assets amid broader geopolitical tensions.