Exploring Multi-Dimensional Security Models in Cosmos Hub to Promote Innovation in Blockchain Security Strategies

Recently, the product lead of Cosmos Hub at Informal Systems initiated a discussion on the consumer chain onboarding mechanism at the Cosmos Hub forum. In the current context of fierce competition for inter-chain security solutions, Cosmos Hub is considering accelerating its layout in this area through consumer chains.

Previously, Cosmos Hub introduced the "shared security" mechanism through the V9 Lambda upgrade, enabling it to lease security to consumer chains while enhancing the value capture ability of ATOM. Shared security requires each validator to run all consumer chains, providing a high level of security assurance, but it also restricts the usage flexibility of consumer chains.

To address this challenge, two new consumer chain joining proposals are currently being discussed:

1. Permissionless solution based on transactions:

   • Developers can directly launch the consumer chain through transactions.
   • Validators choose whether to join the new chain independently.
   • The advantage is strong openness, while the disadvantage is that developers need to actively communicate with validators.

2. Lightweight Permissive Selective Joining Scheme:

   • Developers need to submit governance proposals to launch a new blockchain.
   • Validators decide whether to join through voting.
   • Utilize the existing governance mechanism, but raise the technical threshold.

In addition, a "Top-N" scheme has been proposed, requiring that the top n% of concentrated validators must run a consumer chain, while other validators can choose to join or exit.

These new solutions allow for the operation of only a subset of Cosmos Hub validators, seeking a balance between security and flexibility. As early as last May, comparisons were made between common inter-chain security solutions such as replicated security, selective join security, and mesh security, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

In the future, Cosmos Hub may adopt a diversified security model, which includes existing replicated security as well as permissionless and lightweight permissioned solutions to meet different security needs, while providing more value capture opportunities for ATOM. This diversified strategy will help Cosmos Hub maintain competitiveness in the increasingly competitive interchain security landscape.