Cardano Founder Addresses Misconceptions About Network's Security Model

According to U.Today, Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake's recent comments about the Cardano network have sparked a response from Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson. Drake's remarks were made during an appearance on the Paul Barron Network show, where he discussed the proposed Beam Chain upgrade aimed at enhancing Ethereum’s consensus layer with faster finality and zero-knowledge proof integration. The discussion raised questions about whether liquid staking poses an immediate threat to Ethereum and if Cardano's staking mechanism is superior. Hoskinson addressed these misconceptions in a recent post, emphasizing the robust security model of Cardano, which draws inspiration from Bitcoin's design. He expressed surprise at the lack of engagement from Ethereum's scientists with Cardano's research, noting that this has led to misunderstandings about Cardano's capabilities. Hoskinson highlighted that Cardano's approach does not require slashing and benefits from 50% Byzantine resistance, unlike classical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) protocols. He questioned Drake's understanding of the Nakamoto consensus and Ouroboros, Cardano's consensus algorithm. The discussion on social media further clarified the misconceptions, with users pointing out that Cardano never finalizes two conflicting checkpoints. While theoretically, discrepancies can be resolved within 36 hours, they are typically settled in just 40 seconds. This clarification aligns with Hoskinson's long-standing argument that Cardano's network does not require slashing, a mechanism used in Proof of Stake (PoS) networks like Ethereum to penalize validators for infractions such as double signing or invalid transactions. The ongoing dialogue highlights the need for better understanding and engagement between different blockchain communities to avoid misconceptions and foster collaboration.