Re: [bitcoin-dev] BIP proposal: Inhibiting a covert attack on the Bitcoin POW function

From: Daniel Robinson <danrobinson010@gmail•com>
To: "Jorge Timón" <jtimon@jtimon•cc>,
	"Bitcoin Protocol Discussion"
	<bitcoin-dev@lists•linuxfoundation.org>,
	"Luv Khemani" <luvb@hotmail•com>
Subject: Re: [bitcoin-dev] BIP proposal: Inhibiting a covert attack on the Bitcoin POW function
Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2017 15:41:32 +0000	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <CAD438HvU_M-mb-U+RuX_1-=p-Rv7b4S8zGv7KeRFbq-TcvR9bg@mail.gmail.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <CABm2gDoVVDgwTdfLxmPmhOc4VaRCG+tyYNksnZL3WQ7Up_JsqQ@mail.gmail.com>

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I think you're misreading Luv. He's defending the idea of blocking covert
ASICBOOST, not defending ASICBOOST.

On Thu, Apr 6, 2017 at 11:16 AM Jorge Timón via bitcoin-dev <
bitcoin-dev@lists•linuxfoundation.org> wrote:

> On Thu, Apr 6, 2017 at 2:30 PM, Luv Khemani via bitcoin-dev
> <bitcoin-dev@lists•linuxfoundation.org> wrote:
> >
> > Just to add on to the ethical issue of blocking this.
> >
> >
> > If blocking the covert form of ASICBOOST is seen as unethical, then the
> same can be said about libsecp256k1, various client optimisations,
> Compactblocks.
>
> This is simply a non sequitur. These optimizations benefit users. On
> the other hand, asicboost doesn't benefit users in any way, it only
> benefits some miners if and only if not all miners use it. It
> obviously harms the miners that aren't using it by making them less
> profitable (maybe to the point that they lose money).
> If all miners use it or if no one of them uses it is equivalent from
> the point of view of the user. In fact, the very fact of allowing it
> makes the network less secure unless every single honest miner uses
> it, for an attacker could use it against the network.
>
> Even if asicboost was good for users in any way (which as explained
> isn't), this proposal doesn't disable it, only the covert form that
> cannot be proven to be used.
>
> Therefore there's no rational arguments to oppose this proposal unless
> you are (or are invested in):
>
> A) A Miner currently using the covert form of asicboost.
>
> B) A Miner planning to use the covert form of asicboost soon.
>
> C) An attacker using or planning to use the covert form of asicboost.
>
> > All of which seek to reduce the efficacy of large miners and selfish
> mining.
>
> Asicboost doesn't seek this and doesn't help with this in any way.
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