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Validators play a critical role in maintaining the security and integrity of the network. Validators are not the only ones who check the system while creating blocks and verifying transactions.
This responsibility lies with the “fishermen.” Polkadot uses the technical term “Fishermen” to refer to nodes and entire nodes responsible for preserving the integrity of the network.
What is a Polkadot Fisherman?
In Polkadot, Fishermen are tasked with monitoring the network and reporting any malicious activity to the validators. Any parachain can play the role of a fisherman on Polkadot. Polkadot uses a number of unique security measures, including Fishermen, which help maintain the overall security and integrity of the network. Polkadot uses a version of Proof-of-Stake called Nominate Proof-of-Stake. In this consensus mechanism, network participants (validators) propose and vote on blocks of transactions. Depending on their role, these validators are compensated with a portion of the transaction fees generated from the blocks they process.
However, each consensus mechanism has loopholes, and Nominate Proof-of-Stake is no different. For example, validators may collaborate to censor transactions or indulge in double spending, compromising the integrity of the network. This is where the fishermen come into play.
What is the importance of Polkadot fishermen?
Polkadot's fishermen are tasked with monitoring validator activity and reporting malicious activity. Think of them as referees who do not participate in block production but look out for invalid states. Wanting to be a fisherman must only offer a small stake to gain access to a larger pool of network users. When a fisherman detects malicious activity, he or she can “fish” for evidence by sending evidence of the malicious activity to the network. This can be used by other users on the network to punish the malicious validator in question and protect the integrity and security of the network.
Fishermen are rewarded for reporting malicious activity to the Polkadot network. However, if you misreport your activity, you could lose your stake. This acts as a strong incentive for fishermen to be vigilant and act accurately when detecting malicious activity on their network. This system incentivizes fishermen to act in the best interests of the network because if they do not report accurately, their stake is at risk.
Fishermen also play an important role in preventing long-range attacks, a potential threat to network security. In a long-range attack, an attacker with enormous computing power or a large number of tokens can rewrite the records of the blockchain, potentially changing them to their advantage. Fisherman's Vigilance helps mitigate these risks and ensure network security.
evolving role
There is no fixed number of fishermen in the network at any given time. The number of Fishermen nodes varies across networks. For example, each parachain can have one fisherman, and a relay chain can have multiple people. However, the concept and role of Fishermen is currently a work in progress and may change as Polkadot continues to grow and evolve. Today, Fishermen represents a significant advancement in the blockchain space and highlights the importance of decentralization and multi-layered security to help secure networks.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not provided or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial or other advice.
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