bitcoin-dev
Mandatory Inclusion of Old Transactions in Blocks
Posted on: January 9, 2025 12:24 UTC
The email discusses concerns regarding the reliability of timestamp data, such as nLockTime, in Bitcoin transactions.
The sender highlights a significant flaw in the proposal related to transaction prioritization based on timestamp data. They point out that adversaries could exploit this system by deliberately setting their transactions' nLockTime to dates far in the past. This manipulation would enable them to benefit unfairly from the prioritization rules. Furthermore, the email anticipates a problematic scenario where more users start employing the same tactic, leading to a widespread gaming of the system. Such behavior would result in a "race to the bottom," ultimately rendering the new prioritization rules ineffective. This insight was shared within the context of a discussion on the Bitcoin Development Mailing List, indicating the sender's intention to address a potential vulnerability in the proposed system and stimulate further deliberation on securing transaction timestamp integrity.