51% attacks
A miner or coalition with majority hashpower can potentially reorganize recent blocks or censor transactions, but cannot arbitrarily create bitcoin or spend coins without valid signatures.
Why it matters
A miner or coalition with majority hashpower can potentially reorganize recent blocks or censor transactions, but cannot arbitrarily create bitcoin or spend coins without valid signatures.
Key ideas
- A miner or coalition with majority hashpower can potentially reorganize recent blocks or censor transactions, but cannot arbitrarily create bitcoin or spend coins without valid signatures.
- This topic belongs to California Bitcoin’s security knowledge layer.
- Use primary and technical sources where possible, and distinguish protocol facts from market narratives.
Primary and technical sources
Bitcoin Developer DocumentationBitcoin.orgBitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash SystemSatoshi Nakamoto