A valid signature can authorize an action the signer did not intend.
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A real signature on a misleading contract is still a real signature. Understanding the document matters.
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From a public address to a verified signatureStep 1 / 4
An address is public receiving information. It is not the private key that authorizes actions.
An address is public receiving information. It is not the private key that authorizes actions.The local signing system uses secret authorization material. It produces a signature; the private key is not sent along with it.A verifier checks the signed request under the account’s rules. A valid signature does not by itself prove that the action is safe.Balances belong to network state. A wallet is an interface and signing system, not a box containing coins.
Animated local teaching model. No wallet, RPC or live blockchain data. Some labels and hashes are abbreviated for readability.
Signing proves authorization under rules
A signature can authorize a transaction, a structured message or another application-defined action. The exact format and verification process determine what it can be used for. A readable message is not automatically a harmless one.
Some permissions can be submitted later
A signed authorization can sometimes be carried to a contract by another party. That flow may not require the signer to pay gas at signing time. No immediate transaction fee does not imply no effect.
Inspect scope and context
Network, verifying contract, spender, amount, nonce and deadline can all matter in a structured authorization. Not every format exposes identical fields, and the verifier must enforce protections rather than merely display them.
Do not conflate signatures with key disclosure
Signing a dangerous request does not ordinarily transmit the private key. The danger is that the produced authorization itself can permit unwanted behavior. Read signatures and permissions for the exact distinction.
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Can a gas-free signature authorize something important?
A signed authorization can have later effects even if no onchain fee is paid at the moment of signing.