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Zawy’s Alternating Timestamp Attack

Zawy’s Alternating Timestamp Attack

Posted on: August 21, 2024 14:51 UTC

The discussion revolves around the interpretation of "Future Time Limit" (FTL) in the context of blockchain block acceptance criteria.

The clarification provided distinguishes between two potential interpretations of the FTL rule. The first interpretation considers whether a block can be accepted if its timestamp is not more than two hours in the future relative to the current time. The second, and the one that is confirmed to be correct, posits that a block's timestamp cannot exceed the timestamp of the preceding block by more than two hours.

Additionally, it's noted that there have been instances where gaps of more than two hours occurred between blocks, which were considered benign. This acknowledgment suggests that while the rule is in place, exceptions or irregularities in block timing have been observed without detrimental effects on the system. This policy aims to maintain the integrity and chronological order of the blockchain, ensuring that blocks are processed in a timely and orderly fashion, preventing significant discrepancies in the timeline of block additions.