Buterin Proposes Multisig Approach for Ethereum Rollup Security

Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, recently shared a deeper look into the technical model that helps Ethereum rollups safely transition between stages of their security protocols. 

This discussion, which Buterin made public on Twitter, sheds light on the role of a security council and why understanding when to upgrade to higher stages is crucial for maintaining the integrity of Ethereum-based rollups.

Vitalik Buterin’s simplified model aims to figure out the best time to move from Stage 0 to Stage 1, and eventually to Stage 2, by looking at the chances of protocol failure. 

The model works on the assumption that each security council member has a 10% chance of failing, whether it’s because keys are inaccessible (liveness failure) or compromised (safety failure). The goal here is simple: to reduce the chances of the protocol breaking under these conditions.

At Stage 0, the security council consists of 4-of-7 members, and at Stage 1, it’s expanded to 6-of-8. This is where the model helps decide if and when the rollup should move to a more secure stage. 

However, Buterin emphasized that this model is not without its imperfections. In the real world, there are always additional risks like “common mode failures,” where members of the security council might all experience the same kind of attack, such as collusion or hacking. 

This kind of failure, according to Buterin, means both Stage 0 and Stage 1 might not be as secure as they initially appear. This makes the transition to Stage 2 more urgent than the model might suggest.

In his discussion, Buterin further explained that another key consideration is the quality of the underlying proof system. Vitalik Buterin has suggested a smarter approach for securing Ethereum rollups. Instead of sticking to a single proof system, he proposes using a multisig setup with several independent proof systems. This will lower the chances of a complete failure, especially during the early years of Stage 2.

Buterin also pointed out a key gap in how platforms like L2Beat monitor rollups. They shouldn’t just track the progress of rollups but should also be keeping an eye on the audits and maturity of the proof systems behind them. 

Vitalik Buterin has raised a crucial point: relying on a single proof system might not be the best approach. He recommends using a multisig structure with several independent proof systems to lower the chances of failure, especially in the early stages of Stage 2.

Buterin also calls out platforms like L2Beat, which track Ethereum rollups, to go beyond just monitoring progress. He suggests they should also keep an eye on proof system audits and the maturity of these systems to offer a clearer, more reliable picture of security.

Also Read: Vitalik Buterin Proposes Bold 5-Year Plan to Simplify Ethereum