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Ephemeral Anchors and MEVil

Ephemeral Anchors and MEVil

Original Postby Crypt-iQ

Posted on: January 24, 2024 22:04 UTC

The email discussion appears to delve into the intricacies of blockchain transaction mechanisms, specifically related to channel parties and their interactions with the mempool.

The primary concern raised is the potential for a third party to influence transaction costs associated with ephemeral anchors in a blockchain network. This situation emerges when a pure burn mechanism is insufficient to ensure transaction inclusion in the mempool due to low fees, thus necessitating additional fees for confirmation.

The sender of the email raises a hypothetical scenario where a third party might exploit this system by attaching fees to a spend of the ephemeral anchor, ensuring that the pure burn diagram check passes while the transaction package remains in the mempool. The issue arises when the channel parties are forced to use Replace-By-Fee (RBF) to expedite their transaction, which could result in them paying more than they would have if the third party had not intervened.

This highlights a potential vulnerability within the fee structure and transaction confirmation process, emphasizing the need for a robust mechanism to prevent third parties from escalating costs for the primary parties involved. The query suggests further exploration into how such situations can be handled effectively to maintain equitable transaction costs and prevent unnecessary increases due to external manipulation.