A coercion attack in cryptocurrency involves forcing participants, often miners or validators, to act against their own economic interest or network protocol rules. Attackers might employ various methods, including physical threats, blackmail, or economic incentives, to manipulate network behavior. This can lead to censorship of transactions, alteration of block history, or disruption of consensus. Such an attack compromises the decentralized nature and integrity of a blockchain system.
Context
The potential for coercion attacks poses a theoretical and practical risk to the security of proof-of-stake and proof-of-work networks. Debates frequently address the vulnerability of centralized mining pools or large staking entities to such external pressures. Strategies for mitigation include promoting decentralization, enhancing participant anonymity, and developing cryptographic methods that resist external influence. The long-term security of blockchain protocols depends on their resilience against these non-technical forms of manipulation.
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