Definition ∞ A block withholding attack is a malicious strategy in cryptocurrency mining where a miner or mining pool intentionally withholds valid blocks from the network after solving them. Instead of broadcasting the solved block to receive the reward, the attacker keeps it private, aiming to gain a disproportionate share of future block rewards. This attack attempts to destabilize the network and disadvantage honest miners.
Context ∞ This type of attack poses a significant threat to the fairness and efficiency of Proof-of-Work blockchains, potentially leading to increased centralization of mining power. Countermeasures often involve protocol adjustments and detection mechanisms to identify and penalize such behavior. The ongoing debate about mining centralization often references the vulnerability to block withholding attacks.
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