Mempool Manipulation Attack And It's Disadvantages On The Blockchain Network

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Introduction

The blockchain technology is a technologically advanced system or network built on advanced features and security protocols, facing advanced security threats and attacks one of these attack which is my main focus for today is the the mempool manipulation attack.

The mempool manipulation attack is one such that the attackers or perpetrators of this attack facilitate or execute the attack by basically taking advantage or exploiting the existence of waiting line or queue, known as the mempool of unprocessed transactions in the
blockchain networks so as to disrupt the networks operations.

In this post of mine I am going to be explaining and discussing some of the drastic consequences or repercussions and significant disadvantages of a successfully executed or launched mempool attack on the blockchain network.

• Increases Transaction Processing Fees

One way in which the attackers exploit the mempool is basically by flooding the mempool with many micro transactions, the attackers do this so as to create and cause congestion of transactions in the blockchain network and disrupts its normal functions, causing users to wait longer times before their transaction is processed.

When the attackers have successfully caused a congestion of the network it will ultimately lead to a manipulated or man made increase in transaction processing fees because as past events have shown users and participants of the blockchain network tend to incentivize nodes to process their own transaction on time by increasing the transaction fees.

• Leads To Delay In Transaction Confirmation

Mempool manipulation attack leading to and causing delays or significant increase in the time required or needed to confirm a transaction is another significant disadvantage to the blockchain network, it does this by basically congesting the blockchain network or rather the mempool with micro transactions as a result all transactions both real ones and spams will suffer delays and increased transaction confirmation time.

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Additionally, this delay or increase in transaction processing time destroys the scalability of the blockchain network, reducing or completely undermining the networks overall performance and efficiency which will ultimately give it a bad reputation and reduce its usage and adoption,

especially for users and participants who needs to process the transaction in a hurry or to attend to an emergency, a matter of life and death.

• Leaves The Network Vulnerable To Double Spending Attack

The mempool attack facilitating double spending attack by diminishing the security and efficiency just enough for it to be susceptible to double spending attack, double spending attack is practically when the blockchain network is been compromised by attackers so that they can successfully spend the same tokens or cryptocurrency twice or more than once.

Here is how it is facilitated by an initial mempool attack, the attackers first by causing congestion in the mempool and increasing transaction processing time, attcakers can now take advantage in the delay in confirmation to spend the same cryptocurrency again.

Additionally, the double spending attack can be very damaging to a blockchain network, it creates vulnerability in the blockchain network that undermines the security and destroys the integrity of the blockchain, destroying its reputation and trust of its users.

• Diminishes Scalability

Scalability which can simply be defined as the ability of a blockchain network or system to be able to increase the amount of transaction it processes and execute without affecting or decreasing the efficiency and performance of the network in general, scalability in blockchain network is as important as sun to plants.

For many blockchain networks it is very hard and a constant struggle for them to attain or maintain scalability, another disadvantage of the mempool manipulation attack that it goes further to make it harder and more difficult for networks to be scalable and maintain their scalability.

Attackers in their attempts to carry out or execute a mempool manipulation attack tend to significantly increase the amount of transaction to be processed in the mempool so much that the network can not keep up, diminishing its scalability and making the network unable to process transactions efficiently.

Conclusion

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To conclude, let me start by saying in advance thank you to all of you who will read and support my post, also thank you to the moderators you are doing a wonderful job and I hope you all enjoy reading this post of mine.

In this post, I was able to explain some of the disadvantage of a mempool manipulation attack on the blockchain network and they include; increase in transaction processing time, diminishes security, delay in transaction confirmation and it leaves the network vulnerable to a double spending attack.