Cosmos (ATOM): Bugs, Bridges, and Bounties

CosmicValidator printed a Medium post regarding why a fifty one attack or an analogous attack, like a common fraction attack, would be exhausting to accomplish on the Cosmos Network. because of Tendermint’s BFT rule, the Cosmos Network has been able to handle transactions at Associate in Nursing increasing rate whereas maintaining sturdy security.

While Cosmos Network was one among the earliest protocols to focus on the middleware and blockchain ability niche, the house has become progressively saturated with serious competition from the likes of Polkadot and Avalanche, that have gained right smart quality and recognition. in addition, several DeFi applications are attempting to make bridges between different, traditionally siloed blockchains like Badger and Ren.

The IBC protocol is that the centerpiece of the Cosmos network and a fruits of 5 years of labor from the project’s groups. It will change Associate in Nursing system of thousands of disparate blockchains to interoperate with each other, making Brobdingnagian opportunities that ar otherwise impractical on only one blockchain. As Associate in Nursing example, a project like THORChain may facilitate bridging assets like bitcoin and ether into the Cosmos system that may then be employed in any Cosmos app sort of a DEX or DeFi project on alcoholic beverage.

Bridging between hubs problems

However, whereas all this is often doable, it’s still not as resistance or trustless as if all elements were engineered on one chain, e.g. Ethereum. one among Ethereum’s current benefits over its competitors is that the quantity of composability it provides builders within the house. It’ss way easier for a replacement developer to integrate Associate in Nursing existing Ethereum DeFi application with their project if they build it on Ethereum instead of Cosmos. Cross-chain transactions within the Cosmos system should flow through the Cosmos Hub or multiple hubs that isn't the case for different single-chain solutions.

Bridging between blockchains with separate security levels while not some variety of a security sharing mechanism, as in current Cosmos design, isn't that completely different than bridging any chain generally. thus while not Interchain Security, Cosmos zones ar susceptible to bridge exploits just like the recent hollow or Ronin hacks.