OP Labs Tests New Fault-Proof System for Enhanced Network Decentralization
Summary:
OP Labs is testing a new fault-proof system designed for its Optimism network. This system aims to offer a more decentralized and efficient Superchain. The new modular system allows each network to form its own fraud prevention measures, offering enhanced security. The system is currently deployed to the Optimism Goerli network and comprises three components: a fault-proof program, a fault-proof virtual machine, and a dispute game protocol. Once fully tested and implemented, it will allow for secure bridging without a centralized fallback, shifting toward more decentralization.
On October 3rd, OP Labs announced in a blog post the launch of a testnet version of their fault-proof network, known as Optimism. Once fully tested, this system will allow for an upgraded Superchain, with enhanced decentralization and efficiency. Presently, the new system is deployed to Optimism Goerli network.
Currently, networks based on OP Stack use centrally sequenced operations to bundle and present transactions to Ethereum. This doesn't allow users to raise objections against these sequences if any incorrect data is entered, thus creating the potential for fraudulent transactions if an attacker seizes control. L2Beat has indicated this risk in its report on Optimism, highlighting that users are required to count on block Proposer to provide accurate L1 state roots.
Networks like Optimism and Base, based on OP Stack, aim to be optimistic rollups, a layer-2 type that relies on Ethereum for their security. Ethereum's co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, stated in his essay from January 2021 that optimistic rollups need to let users submit evidence against fraudulent withdrawals to Ethereum for it to be truly decentralized. Buterin proposed in November 2022 that some rollups could temporarily maintain centralization while developing a fraud-proof system, but they should eventually be decentralized.
The new fault-proof system, as stated by OP Labs, will help achieve decentralization for OP Stack networks. As per the developers, "The system is designed to eventually enable secure bridging without central fallback." Furthermore, the newly implemented system is modular, allowing each network to formulate their fraud prevention system.
The new system comprises three separate components: a fault-proof program (FPP), a fault-proof virtual machine (FPVM), and a dispute game protocol. The components are independent and can be separately integrated, providing each network the opportunity to construct their fraud-proof setup.
OP Labs believes this new system will encourage diversity in the Optimism Superchain, enhancing overall security. A network could choose to employ zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-proofs) as a form of fraud-proof, something typically used in zero-knowledge rollups but not in Optimistic ones.
OP Labs has aimed at creating a linked network of blockchain networks named "Superchain". For this, they developed the OP Stack, a software toolkit designed for building custom blockchain networks. Other software, such as Avail network's "OpEVM" which uses Avail as the base layer instead of Ethereum, and Polygon's ZK Supernets and zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine Hyperchain, are striving to achieve the same goal.
Published At
10/3/2023 4:00:00 PM
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