GlossaryAdvanced
Eclipse Attack
Isolating a specific node so it only sees connections controlled by the attacker.
An eclipse attack isolates a targeted network node by monopolizing all of its peer connections, so the victim node only receives (potentially false or manipulated) information from the attacker rather than the genuine broader network.
This can be used to feed a victim node false information about the state of the network, potentially enabling follow-on attacks like double-spending against that specific victim.
Examples
- An eclipse attack targets a specific node's view of the network, not the network's global consensus directly.
- Diverse, well-distributed peer connections make an eclipse attack more difficult to carry out.