What Is the '51% Attack' and How Does It Apply to PoW versus PoS? ⎊ Path

What Is the ‘51% Attack’ and How Does It Apply to PoW versus PoS?

A 51% attack occurs when a single entity or group controls more than half of the network's total hashing power (PoW) or total staked assets (PoS). In PoW, this allows them to potentially reverse transactions and double-spend coins.

In PoS, the attacker risks having their massive stake slashed, making the attack economically suicidal.

What Is the Risk of a “51 Percent Attack” in a Blockchain Network?

What Is the Economic Cost of a 51% Attack on a Major PoS Chain?

How Does ‘Nakamoto Consensus’ Relate to the 51% Attack?

How Is a 51% Attack Easier on a Proof-of-Work (PoW) Coin than a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) Coin?

What Is a 51% Attack in a Proof of Work System?

How Does a 51 Percent Attack Leverage Control over the Hashing Power?

What Is ‘Double-Spending’?

How Does a Hybrid PoW/PoS System Compare to a Multi-Algorithm PoW System in Terms of Security?

Glossar

Hashing Power

Security ⎊ This metric quantifies the total computational effort dedicated to securing a Proof-of-Work blockchain, directly determining the network's resistance to a 51 percent attack.

Staked Assets

Collateral ⎊ Staked assets, within cryptocurrency and derivatives markets, function as pledged capital securing financial obligations, mirroring traditional collateralized lending but leveraging cryptographic proofs of ownership.