{"id":125885,"date":"2020-12-04T04:26:10","date_gmt":"2020-12-04T01:26:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/universitys-epic-burn-researchers-say-ripples-protocol-may-fail-badly\/"},"modified":"2020-12-04T04:26:10","modified_gmt":"2020-12-04T01:26:10","slug":"universitys-epic-burn-researchers-say-ripples-protocol-may-fail-badly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/universitys-epic-burn-researchers-say-ripples-protocol-may-fail-badly\/","title":{"rendered":"# University’s epic burn: Researchers say Ripple’s protocol \u2018may fail badly\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

“# University’s epic burn: Researchers say Ripple’s protocol \u2018may fail badly\u2019 <\/strong>”
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Researchers from the University of Bern have released a report claiming Ripple\u2019s consensus protocol \u201censures neither safety nor liveness.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a blog posted<\/a> yesterday from the university\u2019s Cryptology and Data Security Research Group, researchers Christian Cachin, Amores-Sesar, and Jovana Mi\u0107i\u0107 released an analysis alleging the payment firm\u2019s consensus protocol could allow<\/a> users to potentially \u201cdouble-spend a token\u201d and halt the processing of transactions.<\/p>\n

The trio set up examples of the Ripple protocol using different numbers and types of nodes to illustrate possible violations of safety and liveness (a term for the network continuing to process transactions and makes progress). According to their models, the presence of faulty or malicious nodes could have \u201cdevastating effects on the health of the network.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur findings show that the Ripple protocol relies heavily on synchronized clocks, timely message delivery, the presence of a fault-free network, and an a-priori agreement on common trusted nodes with the [Unique Node List] signed by Ripple,” said the researchers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf one or more of these conditions are violated, especially if attackers become active inside the network, then the system may fail badly.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

David Schwartz, chief technology<\/a> officer at Ripple, quickly responded<\/a> to Cachin on Twitter<\/a> disputing the findings. The Ripple CTO argued<\/a> such a situation was \u201cimpractical,\u201d stating any attacker would have \u201cto both partition the network\u201d and control part of its Unique Node List, or UNL, to do as the researchers proposed. <\/p>\n

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I welcome papers like this and app<\/a>reciate having any weaknesses identified and pointed out. Any opportunity to improve XRPL\u2019s consensus protocol or the security and reliability of blockspace general<\/a>ly is a good thing. 1\/8<\/p>\n

\u2014 David Schwartz (@JoelKatz) December 3, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n