Sybil farming, a method where individuals create multiple accounts on blockchain projects anticipating token airdrops to collect as many tokens as possible, is becoming increasingly popular in the crypto world. Seeing this trend, Hop Protocol has decided to reward those who diligently combat Sybil attackers targeting airdrops.
The initiative follows the launch of Hop DAO, where Sybil hunters submitted reports leading to the removal of these attackers from the HOP airdrop. Consequently, almost 3.5 million tokens that would have otherwise gone to the hands of Sybil attackers remained within the DAO. Taking this success into consideration, Hop Protocol’s community proposed to reward the involved Sybil hunters with 25% of the saved tokens, roughly a year after the DAO’s launch.
The Hop community showed overwhelming support for this proposal, with 99.48% of users voting in favor. A mere 0.45% voted against, and 0.07% abstained. Beyond recovering tokens, the efforts of Sybil hunters indirectly promoted the DAO, as both SAFE and Arbitrum airdrops adopted aspects of Hop’s airdrop design thanks to the hunters’ innovative contributions. This adoption further validated and increased the influence of Hop DAO within the blockchain ecosystem.
Following the vote, 869,566.51 tokens will be allocated to 35 recipients. The method of token distribution will involve sending the allocated tokens to an OpenZeppelin PaymentSplitter contract, allowing the recipients to claim their respective tokens sent to the contract. The contract claim start time is set for June 9, 2023, coinciding with the beginning of all HOP vesting contracts created at the inception of the DAO’s lifetime.
This move spurs a debate on whether rewarding Sybil hunters is a proactive approach that could help mitigate future attempts by attackers and strengthen the overall security of token airdrops. On the other hand, it is essential to consider the potential for exploitation by individuals who might intentionally create Sybil attacks for rewards, posing a new challenge for blockchain projects.
Ultimately, rewarding Sybil hunters appears to have garnered substantial support in the Hop community, but the long-term effects are yet to be fully realized. The Hop Protocol’s initiative may inspire further discussion in the cryptosphere regarding the most effective methods to mitigate and combat Sybil attacks while ensuring the secure and efficient distribution of token airdrops.
Source: Cryptonews
