Monero developers and pool operators are exploring a proactive response to the recent hashrate disruption caused by an attack from the Qubic mining pool. Former Monero lead maintainer Riccardo Spagni has suggested implementing “detective mining,” a strategy at the pool level aimed at thwarting selfish-mining attacks without requiring a hard fork. This proposal aims to enhance Monero’s resilience against such attacks without necessitating any protocol changes, as outlined in a new Monero Research Lab issue linked by Spagni. Qubic’s activities peaked on August 12 when it publicly claimed to have exceeded 51% of Monero’s hashrate, leading to a six-block reorganization of the blockchain. Describing its approach as “selfish mining,” Qubic asserted its ability to manipulate the blockchain with as little as 33-40% of the total hashrate, showcasing what it termed a live “51% takeover demo.” This incident prompted industry-wide risk management measures, with Kraken temporarily halting XMR deposits upon detecting a mining pool with over 50% of the network’s hashing power, underscoring the need for exchanges to review their confirmation policies in response to even brief reorganizations. Despite Qubic’s assertions, analysts at the RIAT Institute disputed the severity of the attack, highlighting data suggesting that Qubic’s influence was not as dominant as claimed. They argued that a six-block reorganization alone does not provide conclusive evidence of sustained control capable of reversing fully confirmed transactions. Spagni’s proposed “detective mining” strategy aims to nullify the advantage of pools engaging in selfish mining by leveraging information present in pool job messages to detect inconsistencies. This method operates within the pool/Stratum-proxy layer, requiring no modifications to the consensus or protocol, thus enabling its immediate deployment on the existing Monero infrastructure. By adopting this approach, the economics of selfish mining can be significantly altered, making such attacks less profitable and potentially eliminating them entirely with increased adoption across major pools. The success of this defense strategy hinges not only on technical implementation but also on widespread adoption by major pools. As of August 19, the proposal remains under active discussion, emphasizing the need for a collaborative effort to strengthen Monero’s security posture. Following recent events that exposed vulnerabilities within the network, the focus has shifted towards enhancing pool software to raise the costs associated with selfish mining, signaling a pragmatic and immediate response from the Monero community. As of the latest data, XMR is trading at $268.
Monero Considers ‘Detective Mining’ Defense Strategy Post Qubic Attack
