Spoof-of-Work - Evaluating Device Authorisation in Mobile Mining Processes

Dominik Ziegler, Bernd Prünster, Marsalek Alexander, Christian Kollmann

2018

Abstract

Mobile mining of cryptocurrencies, without relying on CPU-heavy computations, is a novel attempt to foster adoption of a token. However, this approach leaves room for attacks. In this paper, we perform a thorough analysis of Electroneum, one of the first cryptocurrencies to introduce a mobile mining process. We show that mobile mining, without relying on a consensus algorithm (e.g. Proof-Of-Work), is not feasible on current generation Android smartphones. We further demonstrate that the security mechanisms employed by Electroneum can be circumvented and that mobile mining can be exploited successfully. Based on this analysis, we discuss several practical countermeasures, which can be applied on smartphones to enforce device authorisation and prevent abuse.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Prünster B., Alexander M. and Kollmann C. (2018). Spoof-of-Work - Evaluating Device Authorisation in Mobile Mining Processes.In Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on e-Business and Telecommunications - Volume 1: SECRYPT, ISBN 978-989-758-319-3, pages 380-387. DOI: 10.5220/0006859003800387

in Bibtex Style

@conference{secrypt18,
author={Bernd Prünster and Marsalek Alexander and Christian Kollmann},
title={Spoof-of-Work - Evaluating Device Authorisation in Mobile Mining Processes},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on e-Business and Telecommunications - Volume 1: SECRYPT,},
year={2018},
pages={380-387},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0006859003800387},
isbn={978-989-758-319-3},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on e-Business and Telecommunications - Volume 1: SECRYPT,
TI - Spoof-of-Work - Evaluating Device Authorisation in Mobile Mining Processes
SN - 978-989-758-319-3
AU - Prünster B.
AU - Alexander M.
AU - Kollmann C.
PY - 2018
SP - 380
EP - 387
DO - 10.5220/0006859003800387