Proof-of-Work difficulty readjustment with genetic algorithm

Zi Hau Chin; Timothy Tzen Vun Yap; Ian K.T. Tan

doi:10.1007/978-981-33-6835-4_2

Proof-of-Work difficulty readjustment with genetic algorithm

Zi Hau Chin, Timothy Tzen Vun Yap, Ian K.T. Tan

Malaysia Sch of Information Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research

Abstract

Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed and public digital ledger technology. It can be visualized as a gradually increasing list of “blocks” which contains data that are linked together using cryptographic hash. Each transaction is verified by several participating nodes to compute a complex mathematical problem. The complexity of this computation, also known as Proof-of-Work (PoW), is governed by the difficulty set on a periodic basis. If the hash rate of the blockchain’s PoW grows or declines exponentially, the blockchain will be unable to maintain the block creation interval. The utilization of genetic algorithm (GA) in addition with the existing difficulty adjustment algorithm is proposed as a response to this by optimizing the blockchain parameters. A simulation of 3 scenarios as well as the default, were performed and the results were recorded. Based on the results, we are able to observe that the blockchain is able to reach the expected block time 74.4% faster than the blockchain without GA. Moreover, the standard deviations of the average block time and difficulty decreased by 99.4% and 99.5% respectively when block and difficulty intervals were considered for optimization, when compared to the default blockchain without GA.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Advances in Cyber Security - Second International Conference, ACeS 2020 Penang, Malaysia, December 8–9, 2020 Revised Selected Papers
Editors	Mohammed Anbar, Nibras Abdullah, Selvakumar Manickam
Place of Publication	Singapore Singapore
Publisher	Springer
Pages	11-26
Number of pages	16
ISBN (Electronic)	9789813368354
ISBN (Print)	9789813368347
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6835-4_2
Publication status	Published - 2021
Event	International Conference on Advances in Cyber Security 2020 - Penang, Malaysia Duration: 8 Dec 2020 → 9 Dec 2020 Conference number: 2nd https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-33-6835-4 (Proceedings)

Publication series

Name	Communications in Computer and Information Science
Publisher	Springer
Volume	1347
ISSN (Print)	1865-0929
ISSN (Electronic)	1865-0937

Conference

Conference	International Conference on Advances in Cyber Security 2020
Abbreviated title	ACeS 2020
Country/Territory	Malaysia
City	Penang
Period	8/12/20 → 9/12/20
Internet address	https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-33-6835-4 (Proceedings)

Keywords

Bitcoin
Blockchain
Difficulty
Genetic algorithm
Proof-of-Work

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-33-6835-4_2

Cite this

Chin, Z. H., Yap, T. T. V., & Tan, I. K. T. (2021). Proof-of-Work difficulty readjustment with genetic algorithm. In M. Anbar, N. Abdullah, & S. Manickam (Eds.), Advances in Cyber Security - Second International Conference, ACeS 2020 Penang, Malaysia, December 8–9, 2020 Revised Selected Papers (pp. 11-26). (Communications in Computer and Information Science; Vol. 1347). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6835-4_2

Chin, Zi Hau ; Yap, Timothy Tzen Vun ; Tan, Ian K.T. / Proof-of-Work difficulty readjustment with genetic algorithm. Advances in Cyber Security - Second International Conference, ACeS 2020 Penang, Malaysia, December 8–9, 2020 Revised Selected Papers. editor / Mohammed Anbar ; Nibras Abdullah ; Selvakumar Manickam. Singapore Singapore : Springer, 2021. pp. 11-26 (Communications in Computer and Information Science).

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abstract = "Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed and public digital ledger technology. It can be visualized as a gradually increasing list of “blocks” which contains data that are linked together using cryptographic hash. Each transaction is verified by several participating nodes to compute a complex mathematical problem. The complexity of this computation, also known as Proof-of-Work (PoW), is governed by the difficulty set on a periodic basis. If the hash rate of the blockchain{\textquoteright}s PoW grows or declines exponentially, the blockchain will be unable to maintain the block creation interval. The utilization of genetic algorithm (GA) in addition with the existing difficulty adjustment algorithm is proposed as a response to this by optimizing the blockchain parameters. A simulation of 3 scenarios as well as the default, were performed and the results were recorded. Based on the results, we are able to observe that the blockchain is able to reach the expected block time 74.4% faster than the blockchain without GA. Moreover, the standard deviations of the average block time and difficulty decreased by 99.4% and 99.5% respectively when block and difficulty intervals were considered for optimization, when compared to the default blockchain without GA.",

keywords = "Bitcoin, Blockchain, Difficulty, Genetic algorithm, Proof-of-Work",

author = "Chin, {Zi Hau} and Yap, {Timothy Tzen Vun} and Tan, {Ian K.T.}",

note = "Funding Information: Financial support from the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme with grant number FRGS/1/2018/ICT02 /MMU/03/6, as well as the Multimedia University Mini Fund with Project ID MMUI/180239, are gratefully acknowledged. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.; International Conference on Advances in Cyber Security 2020, ACeS 2020 ; Conference date: 08-12-2020 Through 09-12-2020",

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Chin, ZH, Yap, TTV & Tan, IKT 2021, Proof-of-Work difficulty readjustment with genetic algorithm. in M Anbar, N Abdullah & S Manickam (eds), Advances in Cyber Security - Second International Conference, ACeS 2020 Penang, Malaysia, December 8–9, 2020 Revised Selected Papers. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol. 1347, Springer, Singapore Singapore, pp. 11-26, International Conference on Advances in Cyber Security 2020, Penang, Malaysia, 8/12/20. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6835-4_2

Proof-of-Work difficulty readjustment with genetic algorithm. / Chin, Zi Hau; Yap, Timothy Tzen Vun; Tan, Ian K.T.
Advances in Cyber Security - Second International Conference, ACeS 2020 Penang, Malaysia, December 8–9, 2020 Revised Selected Papers. ed. / Mohammed Anbar; Nibras Abdullah; Selvakumar Manickam. Singapore Singapore: Springer, 2021. p. 11-26 (Communications in Computer and Information Science; Vol. 1347).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research

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AU - Tan, Ian K.T.

N1 - Conference code: 2nd

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Y1 - 2021

N2 - Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed and public digital ledger technology. It can be visualized as a gradually increasing list of “blocks” which contains data that are linked together using cryptographic hash. Each transaction is verified by several participating nodes to compute a complex mathematical problem. The complexity of this computation, also known as Proof-of-Work (PoW), is governed by the difficulty set on a periodic basis. If the hash rate of the blockchain’s PoW grows or declines exponentially, the blockchain will be unable to maintain the block creation interval. The utilization of genetic algorithm (GA) in addition with the existing difficulty adjustment algorithm is proposed as a response to this by optimizing the blockchain parameters. A simulation of 3 scenarios as well as the default, were performed and the results were recorded. Based on the results, we are able to observe that the blockchain is able to reach the expected block time 74.4% faster than the blockchain without GA. Moreover, the standard deviations of the average block time and difficulty decreased by 99.4% and 99.5% respectively when block and difficulty intervals were considered for optimization, when compared to the default blockchain without GA.

AB - Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed and public digital ledger technology. It can be visualized as a gradually increasing list of “blocks” which contains data that are linked together using cryptographic hash. Each transaction is verified by several participating nodes to compute a complex mathematical problem. The complexity of this computation, also known as Proof-of-Work (PoW), is governed by the difficulty set on a periodic basis. If the hash rate of the blockchain’s PoW grows or declines exponentially, the blockchain will be unable to maintain the block creation interval. The utilization of genetic algorithm (GA) in addition with the existing difficulty adjustment algorithm is proposed as a response to this by optimizing the blockchain parameters. A simulation of 3 scenarios as well as the default, were performed and the results were recorded. Based on the results, we are able to observe that the blockchain is able to reach the expected block time 74.4% faster than the blockchain without GA. Moreover, the standard deviations of the average block time and difficulty decreased by 99.4% and 99.5% respectively when block and difficulty intervals were considered for optimization, when compared to the default blockchain without GA.

KW - Bitcoin

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KW - Genetic algorithm

KW - Proof-of-Work

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Chin ZH, Yap TTV, Tan IKT. Proof-of-Work difficulty readjustment with genetic algorithm. In Anbar M, Abdullah N, Manickam S, editors, Advances in Cyber Security - Second International Conference, ACeS 2020 Penang, Malaysia, December 8–9, 2020 Revised Selected Papers. Singapore Singapore: Springer. 2021. p. 11-26. (Communications in Computer and Information Science). doi: 10.1007/978-981-33-6835-4_2

Proof-of-Work difficulty readjustment with genetic algorithm

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

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