<p>It is trivial for solo miners to use tor to hide IP adresses. This defeats mentioned above frequency analysis attack.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-31T16:45:41.733Z
2012-07-31T16:45:41.733Z
Otomakan
<p>I don't know what this frequency analysis technique would do, so this answer corresponds to the second question you asked:</p>

<p>Blockchain.info connects to hundreds of nodes:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.blockchain.info/connected-nodes" rel="nofollow">http://www.blockchain.info/connected-nodes</a></li>
</ul>

<p>The IP address Blockchain.info shows is the address of one of those nodes that they happened to be connected to which first saw that transaction.  A node where privacy is desired does not allow incoming connections and only connects to trusted nodes that won't violate privacy expectations.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-15T12:44:45.893Z
AFAIK there is no way to differentiate between block announcement and block announcement relay
thedrs
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-24T20:07:31.607Z
With frequency analysis I meant just counting for each node how many times it was one of the first to announce a new block. If there is 1 miner and 50 regular nodes, the miner will on average always be faster than nodes that are just relaying. But I guess as soon as the network grows it will be harder and harder, since you can't be connected to all of them at the same time.
Maestro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-24T19:45:46.357Z
2012-07-24T19:45:46.357Z
Stephen Gornick
<p>Can you differentiate the miners from the normal clients, by doing some frequency analysis on ip-addresses that announce new blocks? Or will the new block propagate so fast around the network by normal clients that it's impossible.</p>

<security><protocol><privacy><miner-configuration><block-propagation-time>
Can a miner remain anonymous?
Maestro
# Can a miner remain anonymous?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-07-24)

Can you differentiate the miners from the normal clients, by doing some frequency analysis on ip-addresses that announce new blocks? Or will the new block propagate so fast around the network by normal clients that it's impossible.

**Tags:** security, protocol, privacy, miner-configuration, block-propagation-time


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-07-31. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

It is trivial for solo miners to use tor to hide IP adresses. This defeats mentioned above frequency analysis attack.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2012-07-24. Score: 4

I don't know what this frequency analysis technique would do, so this answer corresponds to the second question you asked:

Blockchain.info connects to hundreds of nodes:

* <http://www.blockchain.info/connected-nodes>

The IP address Blockchain.info shows is the address of one of those nodes that they happened to be connected to which first saw that transaction. A node where privacy is desired does not allow incoming connections and only connects to trusted nodes that won't violate privacy expectations.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: With frequency analysis I meant just counting for each node how many times it was one of the first to announce a new block. If there is 1 miner and 50 regular nodes, the miner will on average always be faster than nodes that are just relaying. But I guess as soon as the network grows it will be harder and harder, since you can't be connected to all of them at the same time.  
> **username_3**: AFAIK there is no way to differentiate between block announcement and block announcement relay  

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