Simulation of Front-Running Attacks and Privacy Mitigations in Ethereum Blockchain

Zachary Stucke; Theodoros Constantinides; John Cartlidge

doi:10.46354/i3m.2022.emss.041

Simulation of Front-Running Attacks and Privacy Mitigations in Ethereum Blockchain

Zachary Stucke^*, Theodoros Constantinides, John Cartlidge^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

1 Citation (Scopus)

624 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Transactions sent to a public blockchain network, such as Ethereum, are initially held in the mempool before they are accepted in a block. While waiting in the mempool, these ‘in-flight’ transactions are publicly visible and vulnerable to front-running attacks, such that malicious parties use information in the transaction for their own gain and at a direct cost to the transaction owner. In this work, we introduce open-source simulation software for identifying and mitigating these attacks on Ethereum blockchains. Designed for education and research, the software introduces simple smart contracts that elaborate front-running vulnerabilities such as displacement attacks, sandwich attacks, and priority gas auctions. Users can run these attacks in a safe environment, monitor the detailed mechanics of attacks, and mitigate attacks using the MEV-geth protocol for in-flight transaction privacy.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022
Editors	Michael Affenzeller, Agostino G. Bruzzone, Emilio Jimenez, Francesco Longo, Antonella Petrillo
Publisher	Caltek
Number of pages	8
ISBN (Electronic)	9788885741737
ISBN (Print)	978-88-85741-72-0
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.46354/i3m.2022.emss.041
Publication status	Published - 21 Sept 2022

Publication series

Name	34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022

Name
Publisher	Caltek
ISSN (Print)	2724-0029

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work received financial support from UKRI through Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Knowledge Transfer Partnership between University of Bristol and Claritum Limited [KTP grant number 11952].

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors.

Keywords

Blockchain simulation
Decentralised finance
Education software
Front-running
Smart contract

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10.46354/i3m.2022.emss.041Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Full-text PDF (final published version)
This is the final published version of the article (version of record). It first appeared online via Caltek at https://www.cal-tek.eu/proceedings/i3m/2022/emss/041/. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
Final published version, 635 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Claritum KTP - 11952
Cartlidge, J. P.
22/08/19 → 31/01/23
Project: Research

Cite this

Stucke, Z., Constantinides, T., & Cartlidge, J. (2022). Simulation of Front-Running Attacks and Privacy Mitigations in Ethereum Blockchain. In M. Affenzeller, A. G. Bruzzone, E. Jimenez, F. Longo, & A. Petrillo (Eds.), 34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022 Article 041 (34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022). Caltek. https://doi.org/10.46354/i3m.2022.emss.041

Stucke, Zachary ; Constantinides, Theodoros ; Cartlidge, John. / Simulation of Front-Running Attacks and Privacy Mitigations in Ethereum Blockchain. 34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022. editor / Michael Affenzeller ; Agostino G. Bruzzone ; Emilio Jimenez ; Francesco Longo ; Antonella Petrillo. Caltek, 2022. (34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022).

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title = "Simulation of Front-Running Attacks and Privacy Mitigations in Ethereum Blockchain",

abstract = "Transactions sent to a public blockchain network, such as Ethereum, are initially held in the mempool before they are accepted in a block. While waiting in the mempool, these {\textquoteleft}in-flight{\textquoteright} transactions are publicly visible and vulnerable to front-running attacks, such that malicious parties use information in the transaction for their own gain and at a direct cost to the transaction owner. In this work, we introduce open-source simulation software for identifying and mitigating these attacks on Ethereum blockchains. Designed for education and research, the software introduces simple smart contracts that elaborate front-running vulnerabilities such as displacement attacks, sandwich attacks, and priority gas auctions. Users can run these attacks in a safe environment, monitor the detailed mechanics of attacks, and mitigate attacks using the MEV-geth protocol for in-flight transaction privacy.",

keywords = "Blockchain simulation, Decentralised finance, Education software, Front-running, Smart contract",

author = "Zachary Stucke and Theodoros Constantinides and John Cartlidge",

note = "Funding Information: This work received financial support from UKRI through Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Knowledge Transfer Partnership between University of Bristol and Claritum Limited [KTP grant number 11952]. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors.",

year = "2022",

month = sep,

day = "21",

doi = "10.46354/i3m.2022.emss.041",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-88-85741-72-0",

series = "34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022",

publisher = "Caltek",

editor = "Michael Affenzeller and Bruzzone, {Agostino G.} and Emilio Jimenez and Francesco Longo and Antonella Petrillo",

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}

Stucke, Z, Constantinides, T & Cartlidge, J 2022, Simulation of Front-Running Attacks and Privacy Mitigations in Ethereum Blockchain. in M Affenzeller, AG Bruzzone, E Jimenez, F Longo & A Petrillo (eds), 34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022., 041, 34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022, Caltek. https://doi.org/10.46354/i3m.2022.emss.041

Simulation of Front-Running Attacks and Privacy Mitigations in Ethereum Blockchain. / Stucke, Zachary; Constantinides, Theodoros ; Cartlidge, John.
34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022. ed. / Michael Affenzeller; Agostino G. Bruzzone; Emilio Jimenez; Francesco Longo; Antonella Petrillo. Caltek, 2022. 041 (34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

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AU - Constantinides, Theodoros

AU - Cartlidge, John

N1 - Funding Information: This work received financial support from UKRI through Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Knowledge Transfer Partnership between University of Bristol and Claritum Limited [KTP grant number 11952]. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors.

PY - 2022/9/21

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N2 - Transactions sent to a public blockchain network, such as Ethereum, are initially held in the mempool before they are accepted in a block. While waiting in the mempool, these ‘in-flight’ transactions are publicly visible and vulnerable to front-running attacks, such that malicious parties use information in the transaction for their own gain and at a direct cost to the transaction owner. In this work, we introduce open-source simulation software for identifying and mitigating these attacks on Ethereum blockchains. Designed for education and research, the software introduces simple smart contracts that elaborate front-running vulnerabilities such as displacement attacks, sandwich attacks, and priority gas auctions. Users can run these attacks in a safe environment, monitor the detailed mechanics of attacks, and mitigate attacks using the MEV-geth protocol for in-flight transaction privacy.

AB - Transactions sent to a public blockchain network, such as Ethereum, are initially held in the mempool before they are accepted in a block. While waiting in the mempool, these ‘in-flight’ transactions are publicly visible and vulnerable to front-running attacks, such that malicious parties use information in the transaction for their own gain and at a direct cost to the transaction owner. In this work, we introduce open-source simulation software for identifying and mitigating these attacks on Ethereum blockchains. Designed for education and research, the software introduces simple smart contracts that elaborate front-running vulnerabilities such as displacement attacks, sandwich attacks, and priority gas auctions. Users can run these attacks in a safe environment, monitor the detailed mechanics of attacks, and mitigate attacks using the MEV-geth protocol for in-flight transaction privacy.

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KW - Decentralised finance

KW - Education software

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KW - Smart contract

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DO - 10.46354/i3m.2022.emss.041

M3 - Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

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T3 - 34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022

BT - 34th European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, EMSS 2022

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A2 - Longo, Francesco

A2 - Petrillo, Antonella

PB - Caltek

ER -

Simulation of Front-Running Attacks and Privacy Mitigations in Ethereum Blockchain

Abstract

Publication series

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Projects

Claritum KTP - 11952

Cite this