Security Model
Sovereign Assets, Layer 1s, Payment Networks
Security Model describes the set of principles, assumptions, and mechanisms that protect a blockchain or distributed network against attacks, fraud, and unauthorized changes. It defines how a protocol resists threats such as double-spending, Sybil attacks, consensus failures, and censorship. The security model includes the roles of validators, the incentives for honest participation, and the penalties for malicious actions. Different blockchains and protocols design their security models based on their consensus mechanism and intended use cases.
Use Case: Bitcoin’s security model relies on Proof of Work, where miners must expend computational power to propose new blocks, making it economically unfeasible to attack or rewrite the chain without massive resources.
Key Concepts:
- Consensus Mechanism — The process that maintains security by requiring network-wide agreement on the ledger state.
- Validator Node — Node operators responsible for proposing and validating blocks, crucial to the network’s security.
- Settlement Finality — The assurance that, once confirmed, transactions cannot be reversed or altered.
- Layer 1 Protocol — The foundational blockchain infrastructure whose design shapes the network’s security model.
Summary: Security models are the backbone of blockchain trust, defining how networks protect themselves against threats and ensuring the reliability, integrity, and safety of user funds and data.