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Validator slashing

What is validator slashing?

Validator slashing is a penalty mechanism that is essential to maintaining network integrity.

In a Proof of Staked Authority (PoSA) blockchain such as Chiliz Chain, validators stake tokens and are selected based on reputation and staking amount.

PoSA combines elements of Proof of Stake (PoS) and Proof of Authority (PoA).

Validator slashing ensures that validators act responsibly and in Chiliz Chain's best interest. It therefore discourages malicious activities like double signing, prolonged downtime, and validating invalid transactions.

Slashing is crucial for aligning validators' behavior with the network's security and reliability.

Validator penalties on Chiliz Chain

There are two possible penalties for validators: Missed Blocks and Extended Downtime.

These penalties are cumulative: they are given when happening within the same epoch, with the validator reaching Slashing Level 1, then Slashing Level 2.

This means that a validator who reaches the second penalty (Slashing Level 2) already bears the consequences of the first penalty (Slashing Level 1).

The details for the two penalties are:

  • Missed Blocks penalty: If a validator misses XXX blocks per epoch (about a day), they lose the rewards for that epoch. This is Slashing Level 1.

  • Extended Downtime penalty: If a validator misses YYY blocks per epoch, they have already lost the rewards for that epoch (Slashing Level 1), and further are "jailed" for 7 epochs (Slashing Level 2). The validator owner will be able to "release" the validator after this period.

The penalties are calculated following these formulas:

  • Slashing level 1: XXX = (Total nbr of blocks in an epoch / Total nbr of Validators) / 2

  • Slashing level 2: YYY = (Total nbr of blocks in an epoch / Total nbr of Validators) * 3/4

How to unjail a validator

If your validator is "jailed" for downtime, you must wait 7 blocks (roughly 7-8 days) before you can "release" it.

Before you ask for a release, make sure that you have fixed the issue that brought your node to jail in the first place!

This might mean upgrading your node

To release your validator, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Connect your Validator wallet to the Chiliz Staking dApp.

  2. Click on the "Unjail" button.

  3. Enter the IP address of the jailed node.

  1. If the 7 epochs have passed, your node will be released from jail.

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