Ethereum Founder Discusses Decentralization Assessment Methods

The founder of Ethereum proposed a new approach to evaluating decentralization and security in a blog post. He suggested testing the project's dependence on centralized infrastructure and the potential vulnerabilities of the system through "exit tests" and "internal attack tests."

"Internal attack testing" refers to actively attacking a system to discover vulnerabilities, while "leave testing" is a novel thinking tool used to assess the degree of a project's decentralization. This type of testing can evolve into a risk rating tool.

The Core Concept of "Leaving the Test"

The core question of "leaving the test" is: Can the application still operate normally if the project team and servers suddenly disappear? This test aims to assess the independent operational capability and sustainable development value of Web3 projects, platforms, or protocols.

From multiple aspects such as project development, economic model, and community governance, "Leaving the Test" can help us think about:

• Can the project continue to operate after the development team disbands?
• Are there sustainable economic models and application scenarios?
• Can the community participate fairly in decision-making and problem-solving?

The Importance of "Leaving the Test"

If a project relies too heavily on a core team or specific servers, it is essentially still centralized. This may affect the project's long-term viability, value, and risk resistance.

"Leaving the test" helps reveal the project's dependence on centralized infrastructure, thereby driving project improvement. This thinking tool is based on a firm belief in decentralization.

The founder of Ethereum pointed out that decentralization includes three independent aspects: architecture, politics, and logic. Decentralized systems have stronger fault tolerance, resistance to attacks, and the ability to prevent collusion.

Key Tests for Evaluating Decentralized Projects

From the perspective of "leaving the test", Bitcoin can be considered to have passed this test because, even though the identity of its founder is unknown, the Bitcoin network can still rely on a decentralized network and global developers to continue its development.

For Layer 2 projects in the Ethereum ecosystem, the founders proposed a risk rating method based on the degree of reliance on "Training Wheels". This method was later adopted and improved by the community, evolving into a risk rating indicator for Layer 2 projects.

The concept of "leaving the test" can be further developed into a tool for evaluating the level of decentralization and sustainability of various Web3 applications (such as wallets, games, DeFi, etc.).

In the blockchain world, establishing consensus standards is crucial for achieving power separation. These standards can help projects avoid power concentration and promote the entire ecosystem towards a more decentralized direction.