Attack Cost Analysis

Calculation

Attack cost analysis involves calculating the capital expenditure required to acquire or rent sufficient hashing power or staked assets to achieve 51% control. The calculation considers factors such as hardware costs, electricity consumption for PoW networks, and the market value of staked tokens for PoS systems. This metric provides a quantitative measure of a network’s economic security against manipulation. The analysis often compares the cost of attack to the potential profit from double-spending or market manipulation.