Ledger divergence occurs when different participants in a distributed ledger or blockchain network maintain inconsistent versions of the transaction history. This inconsistency can arise from network latency, malicious attacks, or disagreements on protocol rules, leading to a temporary or permanent split in the canonical chain. Such an event compromises the fundamental agreement on the state of the ledger, which is central to blockchain security. It can cause confusion and potential loss of funds.
Context
The discussion surrounding ledger divergence often highlights its threat to the integrity and trustworthiness of decentralized systems. Debates frequently concern the mechanisms employed to resolve such divergences, such as consensus algorithms and fork resolution rules. A critical future development involves designing more robust and fault-tolerant consensus protocols that minimize the likelihood of divergence and ensure rapid, consistent agreement among network participants, even under adverse conditions.
A known, unpatched software vulnerability allowed a malformed transaction to fork the Cardano network, immediately compromising ledger integrity and forcing exchange suspension.
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