<p>In simple-speak...</p>

<p>A <em>list</em> of <em>banned</em> nodes.</p>

<p>A node does something bad? Your node, if using the Core source code, will add it to it's "ban list", so it will not listen to that node. The more and more people "ban" that node, the less effect it has on the network.</p>

<p>I'll give you an analogy.</p>

<p>A social media site. You have tons and tons of friends. There's this one guy who keeps trolling around, so you block him. He has no affect on you, however this guy has effect on everyone else. But once the majority of the people in your network block him, he has effect on practically no one. He can communicate to no one.</p>

<p>** I'm tired, forgive the bad analogy **</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-04T14:30:49.267Z
thanks, upvoted, but had already accepted another answer
hartmut
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-04T11:45:53.497Z
2016-10-04T11:45:53.497Z
Whyte the Weeabear
<p>It is a blacklist of erroneous nodes' IP addresses which has accrued a certain amount of banscore due to "misbehaviour". To check what sort of erroneous behaviour is considered "misbehaving", you can check the Core source code.</p>

<p>It is a precaution to protect your node against potential denial of service attacks. Example actions which will accrue banscore includes spamming "mempool" messages, relaying invalid transactions/blocks, etc...</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-04T14:31:43.370Z
thanks! But how are nodes identified?? I thought nodes were not identified... so how can you keep a reliable listing?
hartmut
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-04T20:32:11.517Z
Nodes are identified with ip addresses.
rny
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-04T10:20:43.623Z
2016-10-05T10:27:29.923Z
2016-10-05T10:27:29.923Z
rny
<p>Upon start up, after it has downloaded and verified the blocks, the Bitcoin Core client "loads the banlist". What is this <em>banlist</em>?</p>

<bitcoin-core><protocol><synchronization>
what is the "Banlist" (Bitcoin Core)
hartmut
# what is the "Banlist" (Bitcoin Core)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-04)

Upon start up, after it has downloaded and verified the blocks, the Bitcoin Core client "loads the banlist". What is this *banlist*?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, protocol, synchronization


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-10-04. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

It is a blacklist of erroneous nodes' IP addresses which has accrued a certain amount of banscore due to "misbehaviour". To check what sort of erroneous behaviour is considered "misbehaving", you can check the Core source code.

It is a precaution to protect your node against potential denial of service attacks. Example actions which will accrue banscore includes spamming "mempool" messages, relaying invalid transactions/blocks, etc...

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thanks! But how are nodes identified?? I thought nodes were not identified... so how can you keep a reliable listing?  
> **username_2**: Nodes are identified with ip addresses.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2016-10-04. Score: 3

In simple-speak...

A *list* of *banned* nodes.

A node does something bad? Your node, if using the Core source code, will add it to it's "ban list", so it will not listen to that node. The more and more people "ban" that node, the less effect it has on the network.

I'll give you an analogy.

A social media site. You have tons and tons of friends. There's this one guy who keeps trolling around, so you block him. He has no affect on you, however this guy has effect on everyone else. But once the majority of the people in your network block him, he has effect on practically no one. He can communicate to no one.

\*\* I'm tired, forgive the bad analogy \*\*

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thanks, upvoted, but had already accepted another answer  

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