New Study Maps DoS Threats and Defenses Across Blockchain Layers

Global: DoS Attacks and Defense Technologies in Blockchain Systems: A Hierarchical Analysis

A research paper authored by Chunyi Zhang, Fengjiao Dou, and Xiaoqi Li was first submitted to arXiv on July 30, 2025 and revised on January 30, 2026. The study systematically examines denial‑of‑service (DoS) attacks targeting blockchain platforms and evaluates existing detection and mitigation techniques. It aims to improve the security and stability of blockchain deployments.

Blockchain Adoption and Security Perceptions

The authors note that blockchain technology has been adopted in a wide range of sectors because it promises decentralization and trust‑less security. However, they argue that the perceived robustness is sometimes overstated, leading stakeholders to overlook inherent limitations.

Denial-of-Service Threat Landscape

Among the various network‑level threats, DoS attacks are highlighted for their relative ease of execution and potential to disrupt services. The paper emphasizes that such attacks can affect both the user‑facing contract layer and the underlying consensus mechanisms.

Hierarchical Attack Categorization

Using a layered view of blockchain architecture, the researchers categorize DoS attacks into contract‑layer and consensus‑layer groups. They describe the principles behind each category, detailing how malicious actors can exploit smart‑contract execution costs or overload consensus communication channels.

Detection Techniques

The study reviews several detection methods, including traffic‑analysis algorithms, anomaly‑based monitoring, and machine‑learning classifiers. Comparative analysis focuses on detection accuracy, computational overhead, and suitability for different blockchain environments.

Defense Strategies

Defense technologies surveyed range from rate‑limiting and gas‑price adjustments at the contract level to consensus‑level throttling and adaptive node‑selection protocols. The authors assess each approach in terms of effectiveness, scalability, and impact on network performance.

Implications for the Industry

By providing a structured taxonomy of DoS attacks and a comprehensive review of mitigation tools, the paper seeks to guide developers, auditors, and policymakers toward more resilient blockchain designs. The authors suggest that continued research and standardized defenses are essential for broader blockchain adoption.

This report is based on information from arXiv, licensed under Academic Preprint / Open Access. Based on the abstract of the research paper. Full text available via ArXiv.