Bitcoin resilient to random failures, but vulnerable to targeted attacks
A new study conducted by the Higgins Center for Internet Security has found that disrupting the Bitcoin network would require interrupting the work of 72% of intercontinental submarine internet cables. This demonstrates the high resilience of the first cryptocurrency to random infrastructure failures.
According to the study, during the 11 years of Bitcoin's existence (from 2009 to 2020), there have been many failures in the operation of submarine internet cables, but this has not affected the operation of the cryptocurrency network. Moreover, even the simultaneous failure of several cables did not lead to a disruption of its functioning.
At the same time, according to experts, Bitcoin may be vulnerable to targeted attacks on critical infrastructure. If attackers manage to coordinately disable a significant part of the submarine cables, this could paralyze the Bitcoin network for some time.
Overall, the study confirms Bitcoin's reputation as a cryptocurrency network resilient to external influences. However, this conclusion does not mean that the Bitcoin network is completely protected from cyberattacks and other threats. The crypto community needs to continue working to improve the fault tolerance and security of Bitcoin's infrastructure.