Hacker News

points by Hamuko 6 hours ago | 0 comments

>And like the DAO hack on Ethereum showed, if most people who run blockchain software decide that something never happened, they can revert transactions that way.

Isn't that a pretty integral part of the blockchain? 51% attacks were even featured on the HBO show Silicon Valley.

[–] wmf 4 hours ago

Fixing the DAO hack wasn't done via a 51% attack. In most/all blockchains protocol changes aren't done by simple majority vote.

[–] baobabKoodaa 22 minutes ago

Yes it was done by 51% attack. The chain split into ETH and ETC.

[–] wmf 21 minutes ago

Not every chain split is a 51% attack.

[–] baobabKoodaa 5 minutes ago

Sure, some chain splits fail to get any significant support, so they don't reach anywhere near 51% of mining power. This one did. Hence, it's called a "51% attack".