Byzantine Fault Resilience

Definition ∞ Byzantine Fault Resilience refers to a distributed system’s ability to continue operating correctly even when some of its components or nodes fail or act maliciously. This property ensures the system maintains consensus and data integrity despite the presence of unreliable or dishonest participants. It is a critical requirement for decentralized networks, protecting against various forms of attack and ensuring consistent operation. This resilience is paramount for trustless environments.
Context ∞ Byzantine Fault Resilience is a foundational concept in blockchain technology, directly impacting the security and reliability of decentralized ledgers. Much of the innovation in consensus algorithms, such as Proof of Stake variants, aims to achieve robust Byzantine fault tolerance with improved efficiency. The ongoing debate about network security and decentralization frequently references the degree to which a protocol can withstand Byzantine failures.