<p>Hi guys I am doing some research on double spending in the bitcoin network several ideas have been confusing me:</p>

<p>In prevention of Race attacks, merchants are advised to "connect to a large random sample nodes in the network".</p>

<p><strong>First of all</strong>, What do they mean by this? How is it done?</p>

<p><strong>Secondly</strong>, how do attackers initiate the attack? All I know is they make 2 transactions of same reference, one to themselves the other to the merchant who recognizes only the latter and surrenders his goods.</p>

<p>In an article on prevention, it states "We assume that the attacker may connect to an arbitrary number of nodes in the network to broadcast any number of transactions claiming outputs to its possession."</p>

<p>What exactly does this mean?</p>

<p>Thank you guys, I know this question is very condensed but I appreciate any help.</p>

<p><em>EDIT:</em> Does it mean that I can go out and send X amount of bitcoins to myself and immediately spend the same amount, X on a merchant to defraud him?</p>

<p>Isn't that just too easy?</p>

<transactions><attack><spending><race-attack>
Specifics on "Race Double Spending Attacks"?
user14900
# Specifics on "Race Double Spending Attacks"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-03-29)

Hi guys I am doing some research on double spending in the bitcoin network several ideas have been confusing me:

In prevention of Race attacks, merchants are advised to "connect to a large random sample nodes in the network".

**First of all**, What do they mean by this? How is it done?

**Secondly**, how do attackers initiate the attack? All I know is they make 2 transactions of same reference, one to themselves the other to the merchant who recognizes only the latter and surrenders his goods.

In an article on prevention, it states "We assume that the attacker may connect to an arbitrary number of nodes in the network to broadcast any number of transactions claiming outputs to its possession."

What exactly does this mean?

Thank you guys, I know this question is very condensed but I appreciate any help.

*EDIT:* Does it mean that I can go out and send X amount of bitcoins to myself and immediately spend the same amount, X on a merchant to defraud him?

Isn't that just too easy?

**Tags:** transactions, attack, spending, race-attack


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## 0 answers

