# SoK: Not Quite Water Under the Bridge: Review of Cross-Chain Bridge Hacks

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2210.16209 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2210.16209/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 28 Oct 2022.

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [The Design Principle of Blockchain: An Initiative for the SoK of SoKs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.00479/) (2023)
- [BridgeShield: Risk-Aware Graph Modeling for Cross-Chain Bridge Attack Detection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.20517/) (2025)
- [Spec2Twin-Chain: Orchestrating Bi-Level Optimization with LLMs for Blockchain Digital Twin Construction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.30050/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The blockchain ecosystem has evolved into a multi-chain world with various blockchains vying for use. Although each blockchain may have its own native cryptocurrency or digital assets, there are use cases to transfer these assets between blockchains. Systems that bring these digital assets across blockchains are called bridges, and have become important parts of the ecosystem. The designs of bridges vary and range from quite primitive to extremely complex. However, they typically consist of smart contracts holding and releasing digital assets, as well as nodes that help facilitate user interactions between chains. In this paper, we first provide a high level breakdown of components in a bridge and the different processes for some bridge designs. In doing this, we identify risks associated with bridge components. Then we analyse past exploits in the blockchain ecosystem that specifically targeted bridges.