Explain the Concept of “Slashing” in the Context of Oracle Security

Slashing is an economic penalty mechanism where a portion of an oracle node's staked collateral is permanently removed or "burned" if the node is found to have acted maliciously or unreliably. This includes submitting false data, failing to submit data when required, or colluding with other nodes.

It serves as a powerful financial disincentive against dishonest behavior, directly securing the integrity of the data feed.