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SuperScalar: Laddered Timeout-Tree-Structured Decker-Wattenhofer Factories

SuperScalar: Laddered Timeout-Tree-Structured Decker-Wattenhofer Factories

Original Postby ZmnSCPxj

Posted on: September 26, 2024 04:30 UTC

The introduction of nVersion=3 marks a significant upgrade over nVersion=2, enabling transactions to propagate without fees if they are part of a tree with child transactions that compensate for the parent transaction's lack.

However, the SuperScalar protocol diverges from this approach by mandating that all tree nodes incur a non-zero fee. This requirement aims to facilitate the inclusion of individuals who may not possess an existing Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) to cover external fees, thereby ensuring the system's self-sufficiency in fee generation. The mechanism designed ensures that the Lightning Service Providers (LSPs) effectively prepay these fees, which can be recouped if the LSP reclaims the UTXO without fully publishing the transaction tree. This setup guarantees endogenous funding for transaction fees within the tree.

SuperScalar's design incorporates strategies to mitigate potential attacks in high-fee market conditions. For instance, by modifying a node's nSequence and potentially increasing its fee rate, it secures priority in confirmation queues even during periods of network congestion. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity and reliability of state transactions within the system. Despite these precautions, vulnerabilities exist, notably when P2A outputs are utilized. A detailed attack scenario illustrates how an LSP could exploit high-fee conditions to confirm an older state transaction at the expense of a client, leading to a loss of funds for the latter. To counter such risks, the protocol suggests excluding P2A outputs from state transactions to protect against unauthorized confirmations and fund retrievals by malicious actors.

Furthermore, SuperScalar emphasizes the finality of liquidity sales between LSPs and clients, ensuring that once sold, the liquidity cannot revert to the LSP. This irreversible process is supported by a scripting mechanism that safeguards the unidirectional flow of funds towards the client. Additionally, a security feature enables clients to retaliate against any malpractice by the LSP, such as confirming an outdated transaction to reclaim liquidity. Using a secret sharing mechanism similar to that employed in Poon-Dryja BOLT Lightning channels, clients can respond to deceitful actions by the LSP by rendering the contested funds unusable, thus incentivizing the LSP to prioritize the confirmation of the latest transaction version.

In summary, the SuperScalar framework introduces comprehensive measures to ensure the viability and security of zero-fee transactions within a broader ecosystem. By enforcing fees on tree nodes, employing strategic modifications to transaction parameters, and establishing robust defenses against potential attacks, SuperScalar aims to provide a reliable and equitable platform for transaction processing. The protocol's emphasis on transaction finality and retaliatory mechanisms further reinforces its resilience against fraud, making it a promising solution for enhancing transaction efficiency and security in the blockchain domain.