What Is the Concept of “Rented Hash Power” and Its Risk to Smaller Chains?

Rented hash power refers to obtaining temporary access to a large amount of mining power through a service, rather than owning the hardware. This poses a significant risk to smaller chains, especially those using the same hashing algorithm as a larger chain.

An attacker can rent enough hash power to achieve a 51% attack on the smaller chain, perform a double-spend, and then release the rented power, making the attack highly profitable and efficient with minimal long-term investment.