Adversarial Cost

Definition ∞ Adversarial cost refers to the economic expenditure required for an attacker to compromise a blockchain system or digital asset protocol. This cost accounts for resources such as computational power, capital, or operational expenses necessary to execute a successful attack. A higher adversarial cost indicates a more robust and secure system, making attacks economically prohibitive. It directly influences the security model of decentralized networks by establishing a financial barrier against malicious actions.
Context ∞ Discussions surrounding adversarial cost frequently appear in news concerning blockchain security audits and protocol upgrades. The metric helps assess the resilience of new consensus mechanisms or layer-two solutions against potential exploits. Monitoring changes in this cost provides insight into the long-term stability and integrity of various digital asset ecosystems. Regulators also consider adversarial cost when evaluating the systemic risk presented by certain decentralized applications.