On: Show HN: Cost of a 51% Attack on Popular Cryptocur...

[sjburt]

Is it even illegal? And if it is, is obtaining recourse through the courts the kind of thing that cryptocurrency users want to make a habit of?

[CodesInChaos → sjburt]

Even if the 51% attack by itself might not be illegal, using it to double spend almost certainly is. On the civil side I'd expect you to be liable to pay the receiver in order to fulfill the contract you made when you exchanged the coins deposited on the old chain. Plus I'd expect criminal fraud charges.

[hoschicz → sjburt]

Exactly. What law would I break by doing a 51 % attack?

[lolc → hoschicz]

The attack itself is legal. Sure you will cause some property damage if you split and roll back an hour worth of transactions. People might try and bring a civil suit against you. That would be interesting.

Of course, if you try to double-spend as part of the attack: it's fraud!

[stale2002 → hoschicz]

The one where you stole people's money.

The court system isn't run by idiots who will just shrug their shoulders because you thought you found a loophole.

They would instead laugh at your "clever" loophole and throw you in a cell.

Your legal defense has to convince a judge and jury. You are not going to be able to do that.

[howdydoo → sjburt]

Not all cryptocurrency users are anti-government.