From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: from smtp1.linuxfoundation.org (smtp1.linux-foundation.org [172.17.192.35]) by mail.linuxfoundation.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 265DBF76 for ; Tue, 19 Jun 2018 13:54:31 +0000 (UTC) X-Greylist: whitelisted by SQLgrey-1.7.6 Received: from mail-it0-f46.google.com (mail-it0-f46.google.com [209.85.214.46]) by smtp1.linuxfoundation.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 9E4A713E for ; Tue, 19 Jun 2018 13:54:30 +0000 (UTC) Received: by mail-it0-f46.google.com with SMTP id j135-v6so480013itj.1 for ; Tue, 19 Jun 2018 06:54:30 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=voskuil-org.20150623.gappssmtp.com; s=20150623; h=from:content-transfer-encoding:mime-version:date:subject:message-id :references:in-reply-to:to; bh=gTXZlKHzsMw+Uqzj7Cq3gNT3zjl0vZhvDi1Cbx/CuW4=; b=MOZHGsTlV58O8Q3yVOXXh+A5a7XQ+y4lRfJ3mwsVTyMujeNRuvgTIN2N1z0w/F54EO ZcAd6tAhAsYmSKUS3zoAikK2VR9njytQlt3uaHZvtsjRu1Okgag+/9zGAKspApHioxzu X480MNp+UeJ1FG7sfW7B7qeqfAMZoji2Jtk/QwVYIuAbpgu4FGvdqn671q+Yn3tTsXEx Y67yzbzrRp7bvFXhk/mS6khehWunILLujp8ACRc4mprIaMwhRfZln5KG18neawWbO/i5 py3U+hp6MvabEiZVK7bDjL6R0TutKCkg6JLpO5PTUgIvzp2/mn/EVQ9Dh91rPjh3jtD3 BUow== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20161025; h=x-gm-message-state:from:content-transfer-encoding:mime-version:date :subject:message-id:references:in-reply-to:to; bh=gTXZlKHzsMw+Uqzj7Cq3gNT3zjl0vZhvDi1Cbx/CuW4=; b=ufZiAB9tarI6d7Rb2xlpEy0Ff3ZH5hoaPXgCbYlLb5LCaOdsShpuQGn1z7tqy/HAiB otyBU1vmb+zo/hjirCcXrsgcFxof4OVydRniRfHdQHrdyTcO3KV/+9OUgH7An4JShMGh d0tRIdltWKsBfFJPIcY15iS8dHK1LSNhfKigH00Jd4qlOJNRMm2H4WScRCHmAaARRS69 OVIAovtEeBvLiifsFB/tF0pVMocg/pmU9kmrp/2hZTPbnxX4RoAaDei6UvPy31ylg+v1 4vWFAEGDLBRCI6JqjVmGkWxKsv2Z9lxYnczFwP1I5vLLU4IGj+5aqd+M7AVCQPoogn6J Mx9w== X-Gm-Message-State: APt69E0WD9Oy2IPkwTM7UrJEG0m4dJ9zfGGN4Koh7IwCjvdABj2WnuJv RpXX2/QUOOqAV4MHEHEHR5axxKwPvHI= X-Google-Smtp-Source: ADUXVKJxMa5vqFN3GnfWa1JBPouQHfVZDCTHTTEkQfemwh/KM20VXjcOweKp7fidw/Fm3FavkCazDQ== X-Received: by 2002:a02:1b05:: with SMTP id l5-v6mr13256693jad.22.1529416469827; Tue, 19 Jun 2018 06:54:29 -0700 (PDT) Received: from ?IPv6:2600:380:6550:8e41:b832:f7b8:605d:be8a? ([2600:380:6550:8e41:b832:f7b8:605d:be8a]) by smtp.gmail.com with ESMTPSA id 186-v6sm70208itm.23.2018.06.19.06.54.28 for (version=TLS1_2 cipher=ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256 bits=128/128); Tue, 19 Jun 2018 06:54:28 -0700 (PDT) From: Eric Voskuil Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=Apple-Mail-BC674A16-4805-4BA5-832A-C8E2CB06B915 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Mime-Version: 1.0 (1.0) Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2018 08:54:27 -0500 Message-Id: <2DFF1C28-9669-478E-A960-D250D4C1260E@voskuil.org> References: In-Reply-To: To: Bitcoin Protocol Discussion X-Mailer: iPhone Mail (15F79) X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,DKIM_SIGNED, DKIM_VALID, HTML_MESSAGE, MIME_QP_LONG_LINE, RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE autolearn=ham version=3.3.1 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.3.1 (2010-03-16) on smtp1.linux-foundation.org X-Mailman-Approved-At: Tue, 19 Jun 2018 14:20:39 +0000 Subject: Re: [bitcoin-dev] Miner dilution attack on Bitcoin - is that something plausible? X-BeenThere: bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: Bitcoin Protocol Discussion List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2018 13:54:31 -0000 --Apple-Mail-BC674A16-4805-4BA5-832A-C8E2CB06B915 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin/wiki/Other-Means-Principle >> On Mon, Jun 18, 2018 at 11:39 AM =D0=90=D1=80=D1=82=D1=91=D0=BC =D0=9B=D0= =B8=D1=82=D0=B2=D0=B8=D0=BD=D0=BE=D0=B2=D0=B8=D1=87 via bitcoin-dev wrote: >> Dilution is a potential attack i randomly came up with in a Twitter argue= ment and couldn't find any references to or convincing arguments of it being= implausible. >>=20 >> Suppose a malicious actor were to acquire a majority of hash power, and p= roceed to use that hash power to produce valid, but empty blocks. >>=20 >> As far as i understand it, this would effectively reduce the block rate b= y half or more and since nodes can't differentiate block relay and block pro= duction there would be nothing they can do to adjust difficulty or black lis= t the attacker. >>=20 >> At a rough estimate of $52 per TH equipment cost (Antminer pricing) and 1= 2.5 BTC per 10 minutes power cost we are looking at an order of $2 billion o= f equipment and $0.4 billion a month of power costs (ignoring block reward) t= o maintain an attack - easily within means of even a minor government-scale a= ctor. >>=20 >> Is that a plausible scenario, or am i chasing a mirage? If it is plausibl= e, what could be done to mitigate it? >>=20 >>=20 >> -Artem >> _______________________________________________ >> bitcoin-dev mailing list >> bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org >> https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev --Apple-Mail-BC674A16-4805-4BA5-832A-C8E2CB06B915 Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

On Mon, Jun 1= 8, 2018 at 11:39 AM =D0=90=D1=80=D1=82=D1=91=D0=BC =D0=9B=D0=B8=D1=82=D0=B2=D0= =B8=D0=BD=D0=BE=D0=B2=D0=B8=D1=87 via bitcoin-dev <bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org= > wrote:
Dilution is a potential attack i randomly came up with in a= Twitter arguement and couldn't find any references to or convincing argumen= ts of it being implausible.

Suppose a malicious actor were to a= cquire a majority of hash power, and proceed to use that hash power to produ= ce valid, but empty blocks.

As far as i understand it, this wou= ld effectively reduce the block rate by half or more and since nodes can't d= ifferentiate block relay and block production there would be nothing they ca= n do to adjust difficulty or black list the attacker.

At a roug= h estimate of $52 per TH equipment cost (Antminer pricing) and 12.5 BTC per 1= 0 minutes power cost we are looking at an order of $2 billion of equipment a= nd $0.4 billion a month of power costs (ignoring block reward) to maintain a= n attack - easily within means of even a minor government-scale actor.
Is that a plausible scenario, or am i chasing a mirage? If it is pla= usible, what could be done to mitigate it?


-Artem
= _______________________________________________
bitcoin-dev mailing list
b= itcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailma= n/listinfo/bitcoin-dev= --Apple-Mail-BC674A16-4805-4BA5-832A-C8E2CB06B915--