DeFi
zkSync Airdrop faces backlash over lack of Sybil defenses
zkSync, a scaling solution for Ethereum, has recently sparked controversy due to concerns over the vulnerability of its ZK token airdrop to Sybil attacks, potentially leading to unfair distribution and market instability.
The release of nearly 3.68 billion ZK tokens aims to distribute 17.5% of the total token supply among 695,232 eligible wallets, with a cap of 100,000 tokens per wallet. To be eligible, users must meet certain criteria, such as interacting with smart contracts, trading ERC-20 tokens, or participating in decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols.
However, critics like Adam Cochran of Cinneamhain Ventures say the criteria are too easy for “farmers” to meet, who might use scripts and bots to automate the process, while regular users might not meet the requirements. such a complete manner.
Sybil Horror 6, a Sybil tracking account, estimates that 135 million ZK tokens could be claimed by wallets participating in Sybil attacks. Mudit Gupta, head of information security at Polygon, also criticized the airdrop, calling it highly sensitive to agriculture due to the lack of Sybil filtering.
135,000,000 ZK for all sybils from the initial LZ Sybils list.
I hope ZkSync fixes their eligibility list and disqualifies the sybils from it.
And thank LayerZero Lab and Brian for their sybil hunting initiative.https://t.co/RCEa6geO3c pic.twitter.com/rhIt3hjNDP
– Sybil Horror 6 (@SybilHorror6) June 11, 2024
Although analytics firm Nansen did not conduct anti-Sybil checks or advise on airdrop attribution, it did alert zkSync to specific wallet segments, including known whales and scammers. However, some users criticized Nansen for not being diligent enough.
What a cop-out on the part of both parties @zksync And @nansen_ai .
Everyone knows you had this information at your fingertips and do you expect people to believe that you chose not to act on this information because it was otherwise part of proper procedure? Absolutely shameless. https://t.co/qCdWT75YHT
– Borrowed Thots (@To_the_moon2021) June 11, 2024
Interestingly, zkSync acknowledged in its airdrop announcement that it had deliberately chosen not to implement strict Sybil criteria, arguing that such measures often excluded genuine users via arbitrary filters.
Essentially, the zkSync ZK token airdrop has raised concerns about the fairness and security of the distribution process, with critics pointing to the ease of exploitation by farmers and the potential concentration of tokens in the hands of a few .
Despite the controversy, zkSync maintains its stance of avoiding strict Sybil detection in order to preserve inclusivity among users.
Read also: ZKNation Launches Governance Hub for ZKsync Protocol