bitcoin-dev

A "Free" Relay Attack Taking Advantage of The Lack of Full-RBF In Core

A "Free" Relay Attack Taking Advantage of The Lack of Full-RBF In Core

Original Postby Peter Todd

Posted on: July 19, 2024 01:05 UTC

The email delves into the specifics of a potential attack on cryptocurrency transactions, particularly focusing on the implications of hash power and full-RBF (Replace-By-Fee) mining.

It elucidates that the percentage of hash power dedicated to mining full-RBF does not significantly impact the cost efficiency of the attack, as long as the fee rate for the attacking transaction(s), referred to as B transactions, remains below the minimum economic fee rate necessary for miners to consider mining a transaction. Once the fee rate of the B transactions exceeds this minimum threshold, the cost efficiency of conducting such an attack becomes essentially a linear function of the percentage of miners engaging in full-RBF. This discussion suggests a nuanced understanding of how transaction fees and miner incentives can influence the security and integrity of cryptocurrency transactions. For further details, one might refer to Peter Todd's website.