circuit-breaker-incident

name	circuit-breaker-incident
description	Investigate Hydration circuit breaker triggers. Use when snakewatch reports an asset lockdown, circuit breaker alert, or when asked to analyze why an asset was locked on Hydration chain. Covers XCM deposit fuse (issuance increase), trade volume limits, and liquidity limits. Use when this capability is needed.
metadata	{"author":"galacticcouncil"}

Circuit Breaker Incident Response

Scripts

All scripts are in scripts/ and use ESM (import). Run with node <script>.

Script	Purpose	Usage
query-lockdown.cjs	Check lockdown state + look up XCM relay block	node query-lockdown.cjs <ASSET_ID> [TRIGGER_BLOCK] (run from hydration-node/scripts/mint-limit/)
get-trigger-events.cjs	Dump tokens.Deposited / Reserved / AssetLockdown / messageQueue.Processed events around the trigger block	node get-trigger-events.cjs <ASSET_ID> <TRIGGER_BLOCK> [WINDOW=2] (run from hydration-node/scripts/mint-limit/)
scripts/mint-limit/get-spot-price.js	USD spot price via Hydration SDK	node scripts/mint-limit/get-spot-price.js <ASSET_ID> (lives in scripts/mint-limit/ because it needs the SDK from its node_modules)
scan-deposits.js	Scan all deposits in lookback period	node scan-deposits.js <ASSET_ID> <TRIGGER_BLOCK> [PERIOD=14400] [BATCH_SIZE=50] (run from hydration-node/scripts/mint-limit/)
generate-tc-unlock.js	Generate TC proposal hex to lift lockdown + raise limit	node generate-tc-unlock.js <ASSET_ID> <NEW_LIMIT_HUMAN> [TC_THRESHOLD=4] (run from hydration-node/scripts/mint-limit/)

Note: .cjs scripts use CommonJS (require); .js scripts use ESM (import). All scripts depend on @polkadot/api (and get-spot-price.js also on @galacticcouncil/sdk), which live in hydration-node/scripts/mint-limit/node_modules — so run each script from that directory.

Quick Response Workflow

When a circuit breaker alert comes in (e.g. from snakewatch):

1. Extract from alert: asset name, asset ID, locked-until block
2. Find the trigger block and event via Subscan API
3. Get asset details from chain (decimals, xcm_rate_limit)
4. Calculate amounts in human-readable units and USD
5. Trace the XCM origin if deposit-triggered
6. Report findings with Subscan links

Known Gotchas

• ESM vs CommonJS: scripts/mint-limit/ has "type": "module" in package.json (and so does the repo's parent dir). Scripts using require() must be saved as .cjs (e.g. query-lockdown.cjs). Scripts using import (e.g. get-spot-price.js, scan-deposits.js) work as .js.
• Subscan API key required: All API endpoints return 403 without X-API-Key header. Use chain-direct queries as fallback.
• Spot price script can fail silently: get-spot-price.js may fail for assets without good liquidity routes. Always check exit code and fall back to the omnipool state query in references/price-from-omnipool.md.

Step 1: Find the Lockdown Event

Query Subscan for the most recent AssetLockdown event:

curl -s -X POST 'https://hydration.api.subscan.io/api/v2/scan/events' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"module":"circuitbreaker","event_id":"AssetLockdown","page":0,"row":5}'

Then get event params (asset_id, until block):

curl -s -X POST 'https://hydration.api.subscan.io/api/scan/event' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"event_index":"<BLOCK>-<EVENT_IDX>"}'

Step 2: Get All Events in Trigger Block

Preferred (chain-direct, no API key needed):

cd hydration-node/scripts/mint-limit
node ../../ai_skills/circuit-breaker-incident/scripts/get-trigger-events.cjs <ASSET_ID> <TRIGGER_BLOCK>

Look for the sequence: messageQueue.Processed → tokens.Deposited → circuitBreaker.AssetLockdown. The messageQueue.Processed event has the XCM origin (e.g. {"sibling":2004} = Moonbeam, {"sibling":1000} = Asset Hub Polkadot). The tokens.Reserved amount equals the over-limit excess.

Subscan fallback (requires SUBSCAN_API_KEY):

curl -s -X POST 'https://hydration.api.subscan.io/api/v2/scan/events' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H "X-API-Key: $SUBSCAN_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"block_num":<BLOCK>,"page":0,"row":100}'

Step 3: Query Asset Details from Chain

Use @polkadot/api (installed globally):

NODE_PATH=$(npm root -g) node -e "
const { ApiPromise, WsProvider } = require('@polkadot/api');
async function main() {
  const api = await ApiPromise.create({ provider: new WsProvider('wss://rpc.hydradx.cloud'), noInitWarn: true });
  const asset = await api.query.assetRegistry.assets(ASSET_ID);
  console.log(JSON.stringify(asset.toHuman(), null, 2));
  const lockdown = await api.query.circuitBreaker.assetLockdownState(ASSET_ID);
  console.log('Lockdown:', JSON.stringify(lockdown.toHuman(), null, 2));
  await api.disconnect();
}
main();
"

Key fields from asset registry:

• decimals — for converting raw amounts
• xcmRateLimit — the deposit limit that triggers lockdown (issuance fuse)
• symbol — human-readable name

Step 4: Calculate Amounts

deposit_raw = <from tokens.Deposited event>
limit_raw = <xcmRateLimit from registry>
decimals = <from registry>

deposit = deposit_raw / 10**decimals
limit = limit_raw / 10**decimals
excess = deposit - limit

For USD value, use the Hydration SDK spot price (preferred — on-chain, accurate):

cd hydration-node/scripts/mint-limit && node get-spot-price.js <ASSET_ID> 2>/dev/null

This calls sdk.api.router.getBestSpotPrice(assetId, '10') where '10' is USDT. Returns JSON: {"assetId":"16","symbol":"GLMR","decimals":18,"usdPrice":0.0147}

Note: The script lives in hydration-node/scripts/mint-limit/ (needs its node_modules with @galacticcouncil/sdk). Use 2>/dev/null to suppress noisy polkadot disconnect logs.

Fallback: If get-spot-price.js fails (e.g. EURC has no good route), query omnipool state directly — see references/price-from-omnipool.md.

Step 5: Find the XCM Message Link

query-lockdown.cjs <ASSET_ID> <TRIGGER_BLOCK> already prints the Subscan XCM search link — no extra steps needed in the normal case. This section just explains how that link is built and what to do if it fails.

How the link is built

The script reads parachainSystem.hrmpWatermark at the trigger block and at the prior block:

• hrmpWatermark is the relay block up to which HRMP messages have been consumed.
• The triggering XCM was sent at a relay block in (prevWatermark, triggerWatermark] — the "tight" window.
• The Subscan link widens this by ±10 relay blocks because Subscan's XCM filter is fuzzy on the relay-block dimension (and the message's sentAt can sit slightly outside the watermark advance).

Important notes

• Subscan XCM message API (api/scan/xcm/messages) is paywalled (402). Use the UI link.
• Subscan UI has Cloudflare protection — web_fetch/curl won't work; give the link to the user.
• The messageQueue.Processed event's id hash is NOT searchable on Subscan; identify the message by matching the deposit amount + recipient against the XCM trace.
• If the ±10 window returns nothing, widen further (±25, ±50). Subscan indexing may also lag for very recent blocks.
• The link may return multiple XCM messages in the window — pick the one whose amount/recipient matches the tokens.Deposited event from Step 2.

Step 6: Report Template

Circuit breaker triggered for <SYMBOL> (asset <ID>).
<AMOUNT> <SYMBOL> (~$<USD>) deposited via XCM from <ORIGIN_CHAIN>.
Mint limit: <LIMIT> <SYMBOL> (~$<USD>). Excess: <EXCESS> (~$<USD>).
Asset locked until block <BLOCK> (~<HOURS>h).

XCM message search: <SUBSCAN_XCM_SEARCH_LINK>
Block events: https://hydration.subscan.io/block/<TRIGGER_BLOCK>?tab=event

Circuit Breaker Types

Three fuse types can trigger lockdown:

Fuse	What triggers it	Key storage
Issuance (deposit) fuse	XCM deposit exceeds xcmRateLimit per period	AssetLockdownState
Trade volume limit	Net trade volume exceeds % of pool reserve per block	TradeVolumeLimitPerAsset
Liquidity limit	Add/remove liquidity exceeds % limit per block	LiquidityAddLimitPerAsset / LiquidityRemoveLimitPerAsset

Most common trigger: issuance fuse from large XCM bridge transfers.

Two trigger patterns:

1. Single large deposit — one XCM deposit exceeds the limit (e.g. GLMR 6.9M > 4.3M limit)
2. Cumulative period breach — multiple small deposits over the period cumulatively exceed the limit. The triggering deposit may be tiny (e.g. jitoSOL: 38 jitoSOL triggered it but period total exceeded 2,777 limit). Check tokens.Reserved amount vs tokens.Deposited to distinguish.

If tokens.Deposited amount < xcmRateLimit, it's a cumulative trigger.

Quick Trigger Block Calculation

trigger_block ≈ locked_until_block - 14400 (default lockdown period is 14400 blocks)

Verify by matching against Subscan's AssetLockdown events list.

Key Parachain IDs

Chain	Para ID
Hydration	2034
Asset Hub	1000
Moonbeam	2004
Astar	2006
Acala	2000
Interlay	2032
Bifrost	2030
Centrifuge	2031

Subscan API Notes

⚠️ All Subscan API endpoints now require an API key (HTTP 403 without one). Store in SUBSCAN_API_KEY env var and pass as -H "X-API-Key: $SUBSCAN_API_KEY". If unavailable, use chain-direct queries as fallback (see "Chain-Direct Fallback" section below).

• Events API: https://hydration.api.subscan.io/api/v2/scan/events — free
• Event detail: https://hydration.api.subscan.io/api/scan/event — free
• Extrinsic detail: https://hydration.api.subscan.io/api/scan/extrinsic — free
• XCM messages: https://hydration.api.subscan.io/api/scan/xcm/messages — paywalled (402)
• Subscan UI has Cloudflare protection — web_fetch won't work, provide links to user instead

Chain-Direct Fallback: Scanning for Deposits

When Subscan API is unavailable, or to analyze cumulative triggers (where you need to find all deposits in the 14,400-block period), scan chain events directly:

// Batch-scan pattern: query 50 blocks in parallel for tokens.Deposited events
import { ApiPromise, WsProvider } from '@polkadot/api';

const TRIGGER_BLOCK = <trigger_block>;
const PERIOD = 14400;
const START_BLOCK = TRIGGER_BLOCK - PERIOD;
const ASSET_ID = '<asset_id>';
const BATCH_SIZE = 50;

const api = await ApiPromise.create({ provider: new WsProvider('wss://rpc.hydradx.cloud'), noInitWarn: true });

const deposits = [];
for (let batchStart = START_BLOCK; batchStart < TRIGGER_BLOCK; batchStart += BATCH_SIZE) {
  const batchEnd = Math.min(batchStart + BATCH_SIZE, TRIGGER_BLOCK + 1);
  const blockNums = [];
  for (let b = batchStart; b < batchEnd; b++) blockNums.push(b);

  const hashes =  .(blockNums.( api...(b)));
   eventsArr =  .(hashes.( api....(h)));

   ( i = ; i < blockNums.; i++) {
     ( record  eventsArr[i]) {
       { event } = record;
       (event. ===  && event. ===  && event.[].() === ) {
        deposits.({
          : blockNums[i],
          : event.[].(),
          : (event.[].())
        });
      }
    }
  }
}

This takes ~3-5 minutes for the full 14,400-block window. Group results by recipient to identify the main depositors.

Past Incidents (Reference)

GLMR (16) — Block 11375067 (Feb 2026)

• Single large deposit: 6,900,001 GLMR (~$101K) from Moonbeam (para 2004)
• Limit: 4,295,059 GLMR. Excess: 2,604,942 GLMR
• Relay block: 29959078

jitoSOL (40) — Block 10954824

• Cumulative trigger: 38.31 jitoSOL deposit was the straw, period total exceeded 2,777 limit
• Origin: Moonbeam (para 2004). Relay block: 29525807

CFG (41) — Block 10536839

• Single large deposit: 1,168,803 CFG (~$104K) from Asset Hub (para 1000)
• Limit: 725,000 CFG. Excess: 443,803 CFG
• Relay block: 29100043

EURC (44) — Block 11786380 (Mar 2026)

• Cumulative trigger: 23 deposits totaling 221,234 EURC over period, limit was 200,000 EURC
• Triggering deposit: 34,751 EURC (~$39,964). All deposits from Moonbeam (para 2004)
• Three main recipients accounted for 98% of volume (~$250K total)
• Relay block: 30429186. Limit raised to 800,000 EURC via TC proposal

Lifting Lockdown

If the deposit is legitimate and lockdown needs lifting early, a Technical Committee proposal is required.

In most cases, you'll want to batch two calls in a single TC proposal:

1. circuitBreaker.forceLiftLockdown(assetId) — immediately lifts the lockdown
2. assetRegistry.update(assetId, ..., xcmRateLimit) — raises the mint limit to prevent re-trigger

Pattern:

// 1. Force lift lockdown
const forceLiftCall = api.tx.circuitBreaker.forceLiftLockdown(ASSET_ID);

// 2. Update xcmRateLimit (e.g. 800k EURC = 800_000 * 10^decimals)
const updateCall = api.tx.assetRegistry.update(
    ASSET_ID,
    null, null, null,           // name, asset_type, existential_deposit
    NEW_LIMIT.toString(),       // xcm_rate_limit
    null, null, null, null      // is_sufficient, symbol, decimals, location
);

// 3. Batch and wrap in TC propose
const batch = api.tx.utility.batchAll([forceLiftCall, updateCall]);
const lengthBound = batch.method.encodedLength ?? batch.method.toU8a().length;
const tcProposal = api.tx.technicalCommittee.propose(TC_THRESHOLD, batch.method, lengthBound);

console.log('HEX:', tcProposal.method.toHex());

See scripts/mint-limit/eurc-lockdown-proposal.js as a complete template, or scripts/mint-limit/liftLockdown.js for lift-only proposals.

---

Source: galacticcouncil/hydration-node — distributed by TomeVault.