Pause activations (trailing 12 months)
A operational history factor in the v1.7.0 rubric. Measured per protocol on a e cadence.
Methodology how we score#
What this measures
This factor records the count of deliberate emergency-pause activations for this protocol in the trailing twelve months, along with the stated reason for each activation. Pauses triggered by governance vote are distinguished from pauses triggered by admin-role direct call. The cadence is event-driven: updated within twenty-four hours of each pause activation detected on-chain.
Why it matters
Pause activation history reveals two distinct signals. First, a protocol that has activated its pause mechanism demonstrates that the mechanism works and is actually used -- a meaningful positive signal for protocols where the pause is often listed as a safeguard but never exercised. Second, frequent pauses (more than three in twelve months without clear external-market explanations) may indicate instability in the protocol's code or operational environment. A single pause following a whitehat disclosure and remediation is a positive signal; a pattern of unexplained pauses is a yellow warning. Compound's governance timelock prevented emergency pause during the Wave 2 incident; the absence of pause capability directly contributed to the $147M exposure period.
Green / Yellow / Red
Green: zero or one pause activations in trailing twelve months, with documented reason for any activation that demonstrates appropriate use. Yellow: two or three pause activations in trailing twelve months, or one activation without a public explanation. Red: four or more pause activations in trailing twelve months, or any activation followed by a drain within thirty days, suggesting the pause was insufficient or came too late.
Common gray cases
Protocols that pause all markets simultaneously during protocol migrations or major upgrades as a precautionary measure are distinguished from emergency pauses triggered by detected anomalies. Curator should record the reason for each pause to enable accurate classification.
Notable historical examples
No cross-hacked incidents currently linked in database for this factor.
Measurement what to look for#
Count the number of deliberate pause activations with documented reason in the trailing 12 months.