Fake stake attacks
Fake stake attacks are Denial-of-Service attack on blockchain nodes. An attacker can cause a node to devote memory and CPU resources to a fake chain
The longest chain rule means that any chain can suddenly become the accepted version of the ledger. Validation of a proof of stake blockchain can be complex.
Requires access to both block headers and block contents
Forcing nodes to download and validate fake blocks consumes resources
Key points
Fake stake attacks target blockchain nodes and force them to devote valuable memory and CPU resources to a fake chain.
The longest chain rule in proof of stake systems means that any divergent blockchain could suddenly become the accepted version of the ledger.
Validating a proof of stake blockchain is more complex than in proof of work because it requires access to both the block headers and the block contents.
In proof of stake, stake is tracked over time through transactions in the contents of a block.
An attacker can generate a fake chain, but validating it consumes a great deal of resources, potentially slowing down the network.
Fake stake attacks can perform a denial of service attack against the blockchain by eating up resources and causing confusion.
Last updated