Posterior Corruption Defense

Definition ∞ Posterior corruption defense refers to security mechanisms within a blockchain protocol designed to detect and penalize malicious actions or data manipulation that occur after a block has been initially validated and added to the chain. This involves retrospective checks and challenges that can identify and rectify attempts to alter historical data or consensus. Such defenses aim to strengthen the immutability and integrity of the ledger over time. It adds an additional layer of security beyond initial block validation.
Context ∞ News reports on posterior corruption defense often discuss advancements in blockchain security and the robustness of various consensus algorithms. This concept is particularly relevant in systems where initial finality might be probabilistic rather than absolute. Debates involve the economic costs and computational overhead associated with implementing such extensive verification. Enhancing posterior corruption defense is crucial for building highly secure and tamper-resistant decentralized networks.