Clear DefinitionsBridge Security Model
1 min read
Pronunciation
[brij si-kyoor-i-tee mod-uhl]
Analogy
Like a fortress design that lists potential attack points (gates, walls, moats) and specifies guards, traps, and patrols to protect them.
Definition
The set of assumptions, threat vectors, and defense mechanisms that underpin the safety of a cross‑chain bridge.
Key Points Intro
A bridge security model formalizes how assets are protected during cross‑chain transfers.
Key Points
Trust assumptions: Defines which parties or oracles are trusted.
Cryptographic guarantees: Merkle proofs, multisig thresholds, or MPC.
Economic incentives: Slashing, bonding, and insurance to deter misbehavior.
Recovery mechanisms: Rollback, emergency halt, or governance intervention.
Example
Technical Deep Dive
Model includes formal definitions of safety (no unauthorized mint) and liveness (eventual finality). It uses threshold signatures (t-of-n), KZG commitments, and fraud/proof-of-validity schemes. Security proofs rely on cryptographic hardness assumptions (e.g. discrete log).
Security Warning
Breaking trust assumptions (e.g. majority key compromise) can lead to total loss; diversify validators and rotate keys.
Caveat
Models simplify real‑world complexity; operational security and key management remain critical.
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