What Is the Role of a ‘Whistleblower’ in the Slashing Process?

A 'whistleblower,' often called a 'reporter' or 'attester,' is a network participant who observes and reports evidence of a malicious act, such as double-signing, to the blockchain. They provide the proof required to trigger the slashing mechanism against the offending validator.

The whistleblower is usually rewarded with a small portion of the slashed funds as an incentive to actively monitor the network and maintain security.