# What Is "Checkpointing" as a Security Measure? ⎊ Path

**Published:** 2025-12-04
**Author:** Greeks.live
**Categories:** Path

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## What Is “Checkpointing” as a Security Measure?

In cryptocurrency, checkpointing is a security measure where periodic snapshots of a blockchain's state are taken and anchored to a more secure blockchain, like Ethereum. This process ensures that, in the event of a security breach or malicious attack, the system can be reverted to the last known good state, preserving the integrity of the blockchain and its assets.

Checkpoints are a key feature of some blockchain protocols, such as Polygon, to enhance their security.

- [How Do State Changes in a Smart Contract Get Recorded on the Blockchain?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/how-do-state-changes-in-a-smart-contract-get-recorded-on-the-blockchain/)

- [What Is the Primary Difference between a ‘View’ Function and a ‘State-Changing’ Function?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-the-primary-difference-between-a-view-function-and-a-state-changing-function/)

- [How Does Checkpointing Differ from a Regular Backup in the Context of a Blockchain?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/how-does-checkpointing-differ-from-a-regular-backup-in-the-context-of-a-blockchain/)

- [What Are the Potential Drawbacks or Vulnerabilities of Relying on Checkpointing for Security?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-are-the-potential-drawbacks-or-vulnerabilities-of-relying-on-checkpointing-for-security/)

- [How Does the Frequency of Checkpoints Impact the Security and Performance of a Blockchain Network?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/how-does-the-frequency-of-checkpoints-impact-the-security-and-performance-of-a-blockchain-network/)

- [What Are the Security Trade-Offs between a Highly Decentralized Network and One That Uses Checkpointing?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-are-the-security-trade-offs-between-a-highly-decentralized-network-and-one-that-uses-checkpointing/)

- [What Is a “Finality Gadget” and How Does It Differ from Checkpointing?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-a-finality-gadget-and-how-does-it-differ-from-checkpointing/)

- [What Is a ‘State Transition’ in the Context of Blockchain Rollups?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-a-state-transition-in-the-context-of-blockchain-rollups/)

## Glossar

### [Security Measure](https://learn.greeks.live/area/security-measure/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)

Mitigation ⎊ A security measure is a control or procedure implemented to mitigate identified risks within the operation and smart contract execution of cryptocurrency derivatives platforms.

### [Checkpointing](https://learn.greeks.live/area/checkpointing/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)

Finality ⎊ Checkpointing is a mechanism in Proof-of-Stake protocols designed to establish transaction finality by creating irreversible points in the blockchain history.

### [Checkpointing in Blockchain](https://learn.greeks.live/area/checkpointing-in-blockchain/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)

Mechanism ⎊ Checkpointing in blockchain refers to the process of creating verifiable snapshots of the network state at specific intervals.

## Discover More

### [What Metrics Are Typically Used to Measure Product-Market Fit for a DeFi Lending Protocol?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-metrics-are-typically-used-to-measure-product-market-fit-for-a-defi-lending-protocol/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![What Metrics Are Typically Used to Measure Product-Market Fit for a DeFi Lending Protocol?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Assembling-Deconstructed-Anemometer-Elements-Reflecting-Cryptocurrency-Volatility-Surface-Dynamics.webp)

Metrics include TVL, user retention, loan volume, utilization rate, and active unique wallets.

### [What Is a "Hash Collision" and Why Is It a Critical Concern for Blockchain Security?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-a-hash-collision-and-why-is-it-a-critical-concern-for-blockchain-security/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![What Is a "Hash Collision" and Why Is It a Critical Concern for Blockchain Security?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Precision-Actuation-Dynamics-of-Near-Zero-Latency-Hardware-Wallet-Seed-Phrase-Retrieval-Mechanism.webp)

A hash collision is when two different inputs yield the same hash, which would allow an attacker to secretly replace a valid transaction.

### [What Metric Is Used to Measure the Total Computing Power of the Network?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-metric-is-used-to-measure-the-total-computing-power-of-the-network/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![What Metric Is Used to Measure the Total Computing Power of the Network?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Macro-Illumination-of-Digital-Asset-Volatility-Surface-Monitoring-AquaTinged-Indicator-Line.webp)

Hashrate. fracHashesSec. uparrow Hashrate → uparrow Security.

### [How Does the Total Value Locked (TVL) in DeFi DApps Measure Network Effect?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/how-does-the-total-value-locked-tvl-in-defi-dapps-measure-network-effect/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![How Does the Total Value Locked (TVL) in DeFi DApps Measure Network Effect?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Exploded-View-of-Cross-Coupled-Mechanical-Actuators-Simulating-Complex-Derivative-Contract-Settlement-Mechanisms.webp)

TVL is a quantitative measure of capital and trust, showing the financial commitment and utility of the network.

### [What Is the Difference between a Security and a Commodity in Crypto Regulation?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-the-difference-between-a-security-and-a-commodity-in-crypto-regulation/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![What Is the Difference between a Security and a Commodity in Crypto Regulation?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Abstract-Visualization-of-Volatility-Skew-and-Implied-Volatility-Surface-Dynamics-in-Decentralized-Finance-Instruments.webp)

Commodities are fungible goods (e.g. Bitcoin), while securities are investment contracts (Howey Test), with the latter facing much stricter registration and disclosure rules.

### [Why Is a Sudden Drop in Hashrate a Major Security Concern for a PoW Coin?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/why-is-a-sudden-drop-in-hashrate-a-major-security-concern-for-a-pow-coin/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![Why Is a Sudden Drop in Hashrate a Major Security Concern for a PoW Coin?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Precision-Instrument-Mimicking-Digital-Asset-Volatility-Surface-Mapping-for-Option-Pricing-Models.webp)

A sudden hashrate drop lowers the cost of a 51% attack, making a double-spend more feasible and severely degrading network security.

### [What Mathematical Property of Elliptic Curves Provides Security for ECDSA?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-mathematical-property-of-elliptic-curves-provides-security-for-ecdsa/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![What Mathematical Property of Elliptic Curves Provides Security for ECDSA?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Reflecting-Parabolic-Curves-in-Decentralized-Finance-Option-Premium-Settlement-Dynamics.webp)

The difficulty of solving the Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem (ECDLP), which is a one-way mathematical function.

### [How Do Governance Tokens Complicate the Utility versus Security Analysis?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/how-do-governance-tokens-complicate-the-utility-versus-security-analysis/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![How Do Governance Tokens Complicate the Utility versus Security Analysis?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Precision-Machining-of-Blockchain-Governance-Mechanism-Cross-Asset-Settlement-Execution-Rod.webp)

Governance rights that affect the token's value can be seen as an investment with an expectation of profit.

### [Why Is the Effective Spread Considered a More Accurate Measure of Trading Cost than the Quoted Spread?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/why-is-the-effective-spread-considered-a-more-accurate-measure-of-trading-cost-than-the-quoted-spread/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![Why Is the Effective Spread Considered a More Accurate Measure of Trading Cost than the Quoted Spread?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dual-Hypergeometric-Distribution-Engines-Mirroring-Decoupled-Perpetual-Futures-Settlement-Mechanisms.webp)

Effective spread includes actual execution price and slippage, giving a truer cost than the theoretical quoted spread.

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**Original URL:** https://learn.greeks.live/learn/what-is-checkpointing-as-a-security-measure/
