In decentralized networks, secure communication between nodes is essential. While nodes can freely call each other's RPC methods, it’s often critical to ensure that these communications are authenticated — meaning every message is cryptographically signed and verified.
Authorizers are in-between peer communications and are a powerful tool for security. Custom logic can be built to authenticate who, when, what, or why a node is requesting to responding to communication.
Authentication helps prevent a wide range of attacks and ensures that each message truly comes from a trusted peer.
Impersonate another node
Falsify data or responses
Launch large-scale spam or Sybil attacks
Eavesdrop on or manipulate communication between other nodes
Establish trust between nodes
Prevent man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks
Prevent Sybil attacks
Enforce staking, reputation, or voting systems
If a subnet uses a specific authorizer or authorizers for communication, any new nodes that come in must use the same authorizers; otherwise, they will be unable to connect.
A MITM attack occurs when an attacker intercepts or relays messages between two nodes without their knowledge. The attacker can read, alter, or inject messages — pretending to be the sender or receiver.
Authentication with digital signatures ensures that only the legitimate sender could have created the message, making MITM attacks ineffective.
A Sybil attack is a type of security threat where an attacker creates multiple fake identities (also called "Sybils") to infiltrate a network and gain undue influence. This is done by having a single entity (like a computer or user account) control multiple fake identities, making it appear as if there are many distinct, legitimate users.
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