Self-Liquidation Attack

Definition ∞ A self-liquidation attack is a malicious strategy where an attacker intentionally causes their own collateralized loan on a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol to be liquidated. This is done to exploit a vulnerability in the liquidation mechanism, often involving flash loans or oracle manipulation, to profit from the forced sale of their collateral or to disrupt the protocol. The attacker triggers a liquidation under manipulated conditions. It represents a sophisticated form of economic exploit.
Context ∞ Self-liquidation attacks are a serious security concern frequently reported in crypto news, highlighting advanced methods of exploiting DeFi protocols. These incidents underscore the importance of robust liquidation engines and secure oracle designs. The ongoing discussion focuses on implementing more resilient smart contract logic and real-time monitoring systems to detect and prevent such complex attacks.