Anonymous

[marcus_of_augustus]

What doesn't kill it will make it stronger ... if word on the street was that Anonymous, NSA, Chinee Govt. attacked bitcoin and it didn't blink I think the value would appreciate after that.

As the man said if it fails it wasn't meant to be but we would know what not to do for the next one ... Evolution is bitch like that, only the strongest survive but also means cryptocoins are unstoppable since if not this time, then the next or the one after or the one after ... eventually a P2P cryptocoin will succeed, probably many of different flavours.

[1714135626]

1714135626

[1714135626]

1714135626

[ribuck]

At this point it would be more prudent to encourage individual white hat hackers to try to break it privately. I would contribute coin to that.

[davout]

At this point it would be more prudent to encourage individual white hat hackers to try to break it privately. I would contribute coin to that.

I'm not a big fan of the try-to-break-it-but-be-gentle kind of approach.

[ribuck]

I'm not a big fan of the try-to-break-it-but-be-gentle kind of approach.

Anonymous might be very rough.

But OK David, if you or anyone else exposes a problem that could cause coin loss between now and the end of February, I'll pay a hundred bitcoins.

[marcus_of_augustus]

if you or anyone else exposes a problem that could cause coin loss between now and the end of February, I'll pay a hundred bitcoins.

... at which point the bitcoins will be worth less because of the exposed security breach, kind of no-skin-in-the-game bet? 

Put the prize up in a currency outside the system, like gold grams, and you'll have a bonafide incentive.

[ribuck]

kind of no-skin-in-the-game bet?  

An exploit was previously exposed in Bitcoin. The exploit was fixed, then the network selected and propagated the branch of the block chain that didn't suffer from the exploit. The value of bitcoins didn't appear to change as a result.

[Mike Hearn]

There are several people on this forum who could break the prodnet tomorrow by flooding it with hundreds of small transactions that use up the networks CPU capacity and make it take forever to download the chain (so that many users just give up waiting).

There's no point in asking people to attack BitCoin at this point unless you restrict it to a very well defined set of rules. We want guys like Ross Anderson looking at BitCoin not some random "hacktivists".

[caveden]

There are several people on this forum who could break the prodnet tomorrow by flooding it with hundreds of small transactions that use up the networks CPU capacity and make it take forever to download the chain (so that many users just give up waiting).

Not true. There are fees for tiny amounts transactions and there is a maximum size limit for blocks.

[Mahkul]

There are several people on this forum who could break the prodnet tomorrow by flooding it with hundreds of small transactions that use up the networks CPU capacity and make it take forever to download the chain (so that many users just give up waiting).

Not true. There are fees for tiny amounts transactions and there is a maximum size limit for blocks.

Yes, but after exceeding the "free of charge" size of the blockchain wouldn't all transactions (also the genuine ones) have to pay the transaction fee? Such an attack could affect everyone resulting in only the attacker's transactions being included into the current block. Correct me if I am wrong.

[marcus_of_augustus]

There's no point in asking people to attack BitCoin at this point unless you restrict it to a very well defined set of rules.

What stage is it at exactly?

When it comes to protecting  people's private money in a wider marketplace there will be no rules period. Let alone a "well-defined set" of them.

Attack it and see if it should really be worthy of trading at parity with the fed. res funny money ... else it also is just funny money.

[davout]

I'm not a big fan of the try-to-break-it-but-be-gentle kind of approach.

Anonymous might be very rough.

Anonymous is mostly people who don't know about IT and won't give a damn if they can't point their LOIC piece of shit at bitcoin

There are several people on this forum who could break the prodnet tomorrow by flooding it with hundreds of small transactions that use up the networks CPU capacity and make it take forever to download the chain (so that many users just give up waiting).

Not true. There are fees for tiny amounts transactions and there is a maximum size limit for blocks.

Yes, but after exceeding the "free of charge" size of the blockchain wouldn't all transactions (also the genuine ones) have to pay the transaction fee? Such an attack could affect everyone resulting in only the attacker's transactions being included into the current block. Correct me if I am wrong.

Each node mines for a different set of transactions, depending on the topology of the network.

There are several people on this forum who could break the prodnet tomorrow by flooding it with hundreds of small transactions that use up the networks CPU capacity and make it take forever to download the chain (so that many users just give up waiting).

There's no point in asking people to attack BitCoin at this point unless you restrict it to a very well defined set of rules. We want guys like Ross Anderson looking at BitCoin not some random "hacktivists".

I definitely disagree strongly with this point of view. I don't trust government run "stress tests"
What's the point of going up to hackers and be like : "ok guys, go for it, attack us, but please think inside the little box we defined for you"

[caveden]

Yes, but after exceeding the "free of charge" size of the blockchain wouldn't all transactions (also the genuine ones) have to pay the transaction fee? Such an attack could affect everyone resulting in only the attacker's transactions being included into the current block. Correct me if I am wrong.

Anyone could force everyone to pay transaction fees, that's true.
That wouldn't make only the attackers transaction get included, though. Those paying more fees would be included first.

What I wonder is if miners implement intelligent ways of discarding transactions if their transaction pools gets too big...

[davout]

What I wonder is if miners implement intelligent ways of discarding transactions if their transaction pools gets too big...

Probably not until tx fees become the main generation incentive.

[Mike Hearn]

The DoS risk is not merely about space in the block. There are several resources that can be exhausted, for instance you could consume all the networks CPU time more easily than filling up the blocks with garbage.

I might write up a wiki page or a longer post on this. The DoS problem is one that needs a lot more work.

[fabianhjr]

I say go for it! Don't go after the SKiddies though, go for quality personas at HTS, SecurityFocus, and other Security specialist communities. 4Chan and SKiddie Forums can join later by indirect means.

[Dobry Den]

I actually found out about Bitcoin yesterday because Anonymous' website where they publish press releases had a "We accept Bitcoin donations" link.

[barbarousrelic]

I have my doubts as to Anonymous's productive capacity. Their capacity for comedic revenge is well proven.

[AmpEater]

I have my doubts as to Anonymous's productive capacity. Their capacity for comedic revenge is well proven.

I too have doubts that a collection of countless proactive and self motivated individuals with a history of action, acting within a loose set of rules whereas anyone may contribute as little or as much as one wishes at any time in any way towards any cause one finds worthy will achieve any productive capacity

Lulz

I actually found out about Bitcoin yesterday because Anonymous' website where they publish press releases had a "We accept Bitcoin donations" link.

Awesome! Welcome. Bitcoin is right up your alley.  Be sure to hit anon news with some bitcoin love when you have some to share

[MacRohard]

I was really impressed with the job Anonymous did on HBGary Federal. Could they help to propagate Bitcoin? Could Anonymous find Bitcoin useful? Stupid question? We could always move the thread to off-topic and just talk about Anonymous.

I noticed that http://www.anonnews.org/ is accepting bitcoin donations.

[dirtyfilthy]

anonnews accepts bitcoin donations http://www.anonnews.org/bitcoin.html