Bitcoin Forum

Other => Beginners & Help => Topic started by: bot2357 on June 03, 2013, 09:19:53 AM



Title: Are pools safe from dishonest miners?
Post by: bot2357 on June 03, 2013, 09:19:53 AM
I joined slush's pool and started mining today. (https://mining.bitcoin.cz/)

Is it possible to modify the source of guiminer (https://github.com/Kiv/poclbm/) so that if you happen to solve a block, it switches to solo mining and you keep the payout?
If not how does the pool prevent this?


Title: Re: Are pools safe from dishonest miners?
Post by: J35st3r on June 03, 2013, 10:25:26 AM
If not how does the pool prevent this?

The block that you are solving includes the payout address (so the 25BTC reward is paid to the pool). This cannot be changed without the hash changing too, so if you find a hash it is only valid for that block and hence the pool it was originated from. Sorry, no free lunch for you  :P


Title: Re: Are pools safe from dishonest miners?
Post by: lbr on June 03, 2013, 11:26:37 AM
your sheme will lead to orphan block at best ; )
but pool are NOT safe from dishonest miners.


Title: Re: Are pools safe from dishonest miners?
Post by: J35st3r on June 03, 2013, 11:34:03 AM
your sheme will lead to orphan block at best ; )
but pool are NOT safe from dishonest miners.

Interesting, care to elaborate?

I've heard of pool hopping, where miners jump into a pool that has just solved a block in the hope of being included in the payout (I gather the PPLNS scheme excludes the current round just so as to avoid this), but what other nefarious deeds do pools need to watch out for?


Title: Re: Are pools safe from dishonest miners?
Post by: bot2357 on June 03, 2013, 04:15:10 PM
If not how does the pool prevent this?

The block that you are solving includes the payout address (so the 25BTC reward is paid to the pool). This cannot be changed without the hash changing too, so if you find a hash it is only valid for that block and hence the pool it was originated from. Sorry, no free lunch for you  :P

That's what I wasn't sure about. Thanks.

These two links should keep me busy for a while:
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Blocks
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Block_hashing_algorithm