51 Percent Attack Vectors

51 Percent Attack Vectors describe the methods by which an adversary might gain majority control over a blockchain's consensus mechanism. In a Proof of Work system, this involves acquiring more than half of the network's hash rate to reorganize the ledger.

Such an attack allows the adversary to double-spend coins or censor specific transactions, undermining the entire financial ecosystem built on that chain. These vectors are constantly evolving as hardware becomes more efficient and mining becomes more professionalized.

Derivatives platforms must assess these risks to determine the collateral security of their underlying assets. Protecting against these vectors requires constant vigilance and a sufficiently large and distributed network of honest participants.