Grinding Attacks are a type of adversarial strategy in blockchain systems where an attacker attempts to manipulate a pseudo-random process by performing numerous computations to discover a favorable outcome. This attack aims to influence the selection of block producers or other critical protocol parameters. By repeatedly calculating and discarding unfavorable results, the attacker seeks to gain an unfair advantage. Such attacks threaten the fairness and decentralization of a network.
Context
Grinding attacks are a significant concern in proof-of-stake protocols that rely on verifiable random functions for validator selection. News and research frequently address methods to mitigate these attacks, such as incorporating unpredictable external entropy or using verifiable delay functions. The effectiveness of a protocol’s randomness generation is often scrutinized in relation to its resistance against grinding, impacting its perceived security and decentralization.
VDFs are sequential cryptographic timekeepers that make randomness manipulation computationally prohibitive, enhancing Proof-of-Stake security and finality.
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