All About Sybil Attack [2024년]

Industrial technology has brought about revolutionary changes in all areas of life. But these developments come with side effects. The same goes for blockchain. Blockchain emerged for safer and more transparent transactions. However, the risk of hacker attacks still remains. One of these attacks This is Sybil Attack..

Sybil attacks are preventable. In this article, we will take a closer look at what Sybil attacks are and how to prevent them.

What is a Sybil attack?

Sybil attack It’s called node A single computer can run multiple fake identities on a peer-to-peer (P2P) network. It says that. Just as a person can create multiple social media accounts, a single user can run multiple nodes (IP addresses or user accounts) on a network simultaneously.

The name Sybil in Attack on Sybil comes from the name of a character named Sybil Dorset in Flora Leta Schreiber’s 1973 book Sybil.

Sybil, who appears in Flora Leta Schreiber’s book, suffers from dissociative identity disorder, or multiple personality disorder. This causes problems when one person has multiple personalities. Later, computer scientist Brian Zill coined the term Sybil, and scientist John R. Douceur coined the term Sybil. thesisdiscussed this issue.

How does a Sybil attack occur?

A Sybil attack is when an entity (node) creates multiple accounts and impersonates actual users of the network it is trying to infiltrate. It happens. Each new identity acts independently of the other and performs its own transactions. Although it appears as if each node is operated by a separate entity, in reality, all nodes are controlled by one person.

Sybil attacks are not limited to blockchain. However, because blockchain networks are operated by multiple influencers, large-scale Sybil attacks are highly risky because they grant centralized authority to attackers on a decentralized platform.

This can happen in networks like Bitcoin, because many decisions rely on majority voting. Once an attacker gains significant control of the system, he or she can rewrite the decentralized public ledger. Likewise, Sybil attacks on social media influence the opinions of the majority because one person manipulates many users.

Types of Sybil Attacks

To better understand how Sybil attacks work, it helps to know about the different types of Sybil attacks that exist. Both malicious and healthy nodes run on the same network, but their communication methods fall into two categories: direct and indirect.

direct attack

In a direct attack, the Sybil node directly affects the trusted nodes in the network. Malicious nodes imitate trusted nodes while simultaneously communicating with genuine nodes. A true node does not realize that it is being led astray. As a result, it is easily susceptible to the influence of fake nodes and allows direct communication.

indirect attack

Unlike direct attacks, indirect attacks involve another set of nodes that act as intermediaries. These unsuspecting nodes remain infected because they are actually under the influence of the Sybil nodes. Therefore, communication between sybil nodes and trusted nodes is indirect and they do not interact with each other. This type of attack allows Sybil nodes to operate the network more undetected than a direct attack.

Problems arising from Sybil attacks

The goal of a Sybil attack is to influence the entire network and control decision-making. A successful attack may cause the following issues:

• 51% attack settings: A 51% attack on a blockchain network is characterized by controlling more than half of the network’s computer power, known as the hash rate. This could potentially cause a network outage as the majority force could modify the transaction. In a 51% attack, an attacker can create a block of fraudulent transactions while invalidating other transactions. Additionally, having this level of control also allows you to flip transactions, enabling double spending.
• Block a user from your network: Once enough fake nodes are established in the network, the attacker can basically vote out the honest nodes. Sybil nodes may also refuse to transmit or receive blocks. As a result, honest nodes lose access to the system.

How to prevent Sybil attacks

For many years, computer scientists have been working hard to find ways to prevent Sybil attacks. Currently, no one can guarantee complete protection against attacks. However, there are ways to maximize security and prevention.

mining

The consensus algorithm secures the blockchain. The consensus algorithm is the process of determining consensus on transactions on the blockchain. In proof-of-work, miners (nodes) on the network use computing power to solve complex mathematical problems to verify transactions, a process called mining.

Therefore, to reach a cooperative consensus on a blockchain, a sufficient number of miners must agree on the authenticity of the data. With so many miners to verify during this process, it becomes nearly impossible for one entity to control more than half of the network. Additionally, since one computer represents each node, it is very expensive for one person to own most of the equipment.

identity verification

Depending on the network, there are several ways to perform identity verification, either directly or indirectly. Through direct verification, your new identity (ID) is verified by a central authority. In the case of indirect authentication, an existing member who has already been authenticated can authenticate a new identity. These processes often require new members to verify their identity through a credit card, IP address, or two-step verification.

Another way to ensure identity verification is to charge a fee for every identity created, making it expensive for one company to have many nodes.

reputation system

Reputation systems grant different levels of authority to network members. This reputation is determined by member evaluations. Typically, members who have been active for a long time are granted permission to perform more tasks or interactions.

These members gain more power over Sybil nodes because they build trust over time and have proven to be honest nodes. These permissions have the effect of preventing attacks because attackers have to wait a long time to reach higher reputation levels.

Are all blockchains vulnerable to Sybil attacks?

In theory, all blockchains are vulnerable to Sybil attacks.. However, the size of the network often makes a difference. The more miners needed to verify transactions the better, as it is very difficult for one entity to control 51% of the miners. For example, Bitcoin has proven to be more resistant to both Sybil attacks and 51% attacks due to its larger network size. To date, no one has successfully performed a 51% attack on Bitcoin.

Sybil attacks are always something to watch out for, but most can be prevented by taking a few precautions. If you prioritize security during the development process, you can build a system to prevent it during the design process.

Frequently Asked Questions/Answers

Sybil attacks are malicious security threats that occur in peer-to-peer networks where a single computer uses multiple fake identities. The goal of this type of attack is to gain an unfair advantage and control over other users on the network.

Most blockchain networks are vulnerable to Sybil attacks. However, in the case of Bitcoin, this is virtually impossible due to the large number of miners.

Consensus protocols, identity verification, and having enough nodes in the network can prevent Sybil attacks. For identity verification, verification can be done directly or indirectly on the network.

Consensus algorithms such as proof-of-work or proof-of-stake are used to defend against Sybil attacks in blockchain networks. These algorithms help limit the desire to act dishonestly by proving the authenticity of transactions and providing nodes with incentives for honest action.

In the Internet of Things (IoT), a Sybil attack is when one node creates or steals the identity of another node in the network to damage the system or spread spam.

A 51% attack on a cryptocurrency blockchain occurs when one group of miners controls more than 50% of the mining hash rate on the network. Since miners own more than 51% of the blockchain, they have the power to make changes to the network.

The information contained on the BeInCrypto website is published in good faith and for informational purposes only. Users are solely responsible for any consequences arising from their use of information on the website.
BeInCrypto devotes a lot of time to verifying and researching content in order to provide readers with useful and quality educational content through investment guides.
BeInCrypto’s partners may offer a commission in exchange for posts being posted, but this does not in any way affect the process of creating fair, honest and useful content.