delvingbitcoin
Transitory Soft Forks for Consensus Cleanup Forks
Posted on: December 24, 2024 20:33 UTC
The discussion centers on the complexities and challenges associated with implementing cleanup soft forks in the development process, particularly due to the potential need for repeated efforts without the promise of additional benefits.
This concern highlights the significant amount of work developers must undertake to activate such forks, only to possibly face the same arduous process again in the future without any new advantages. This situation is likened to a lack of job security, underscoring the unappealing nature of working on features that do not offer direct benefits or enhancements but are rather aimed at restricting transactions to prevent DoS (Denial of Service) attacks.
Furthermore, the concept of auto-repeal is introduced as a beneficial approach to dealing with DoS vulnerabilities. Auto-repeal allows for the automatic expiration of a patch once it has served its purpose or when a more comprehensive solution is found. This method is advantageous because it enables a more straightforward process for addressing multiple DoS threats over time. For instance, if an initial patch (P) is created to mitigate a specific DoS attack (A), and later on, another vulnerability (B) is discovered, developing a new patch (Q) that works effectively while P is still active could be challenging. Instead, creating a revised patch (P') that addresses both A and B concurrently would be a more efficient solution. This approach reduces the complexity and workload involved in continually updating and managing patches for new vulnerabilities, thereby streamlining the development process and ensuring the system's resilience against DoS attacks.