The Solana Foundation has announced significant measures to address the issue of sandwich attacks targeting Solana users, removing a group of validator operators from its delegation program as a response to their involvement in such malicious activities.

According to Tim Garcia, Solana Validator Relations Lead, the decision to remove these operators from the delegation program is final, reflecting the Foundation's commitment to safeguarding retail users from the harmful effects of sandwich attacks. This move is crucial in maintaining the integrity and security of the Solana network, as highlighted by Mert Mumtaz, co-founder of Solana RPC provider Helius.

Sandwich attacks, as described by the Solana Foundation, are a form of front-running exploit wherein an attacker executes two transactions surrounding a victim's transaction, manipulating prices and profiting from the price difference. Such actions are explicitly prohibited under the rules outlined by the Foundation in a Discord post from May 7, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy towards activities detrimental to Solana users.

Garcia emphasized that any operator found engaging in malicious activities, including participating in private mempools to conduct sandwich attacks, will face rejection from the delegation program. Furthermore, any stake delegated to them by the Foundation will be promptly and permanently withdrawn.

The Solana Foundation Delegation Program was established to assist validators in their operations by delegating SOL tokens to them, eliminating the necessity for holding a significant token reserve. While validators are selected based on their performance, participation in the program requires adherence to ethical standards and best practices.

Despite Solana's permissionless nature allowing these operators to continue contributing to the blockchain, they will no longer receive SOL subsidies from the Foundation. This action underscores the Foundation's commitment to maintaining a secure and equitable environment for all Solana users.

The prevalence of Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) issues on Solana, including front-running and sandwich attacks, underscores the importance of proactive measures to mitigate such threats. These exploits not only result in financial losses and increased transaction costs but also undermine the trust and integrity of the network.