Initialization detection

When this applies

• OZ Initializable / *Upgradeable contracts
• Custom upgradeable contracts with initialize() functions
• Beacon proxies, UUPS, Transparent — all flavors
• Factory-deployed clones (EIP-1167 minimal proxies)
• Any deploy script that uses delegatecall for setup

Detection patterns

Implementation contract not init-locked (CRITICAL)

contract Vault is Initializable, OwnableUpgradeable {
    function initialize() external initializer {
        __Ownable_init(msg.sender);
    }
    // ← no constructor disabling initializers
}

Anyone can call initialize on the implementation address directly. Fix:

/// @custom:oz-upgrades-unsafe-allow constructor
constructor() { _disableInitializers(); }

Public initializer on deployed proxy (CRITICAL)

Proxy deployment script forgets to call initialize atomically → attacker calls it first → owns the contract. Fix: deploy + initialize in same tx via factory or initializer-on-deploy proxy.

Re-init via reinitializer(N) accessible to anyone (HIGH)

function reinitialize() external reinitializer(2) {   // ← no auth
    __Pausable_init();
}

Add onlyOwner or onlyProxyAdmin.

Parent init not called (HIGH)

function initialize() external initializer {
    // __Pausable_init() missing — pausable state defaults to wrong values
}

Verify every parent's __X_init() is chained.

Logic in constructor instead of initializer (HIGH for upgradeable)

constructor() OwnableUpgradeable() { owner = msg.sender; }   // ← runs on impl, not proxy

Upgradeable contracts must do setup in initialize, not constructor.

Constructor runs on proxy (incorrect mental model) (MEDIUM)

Devs sometimes write constructor logic expecting it to run on the proxy. It doesn't — constructor runs at deployment of the implementation, and the proxy never re-runs it.

Clones (minimal proxies) without per-clone init guard (HIGH)

EIP-1167 clones share implementation; each clone's _initialized slot starts at 0. If initialize has no auth, anyone can initialize a fresh clone before the deployer.

Re-init via storage-slot manipulation (HIGH)

OZ v4: _initialized is uint8; v5: _initialized is uint64. Custom upgradeable contracts that don't use OZ may have bypassable guards.

Severity rubric

Remediation patterns

• Implementation constructor: _disableInitializers().
• Deploy proxy + call initializer atomically (single factory tx).
• Mark initialize as initializer, reinitialize as reinitializer(N) with auth.
• Chain every parent's __X_init() in order matching inheritance.
• For clones: use a factory that deploys-and-initializes in one call.
• Test: from a fresh deploy, attempt initialize() twice and from a non-admin EOA — both should revert.

False-positive notes

• Non-upgradeable contracts that just happen to use initialize as a name — not the same pattern.
• Initializable used purely as a one-shot setup guard with no proxy involved — lower severity.

Related

• [[storage-layout]]
• [[access-control]]
• [[delegatecall-risks]]