Vitalik Buterin raises concerns on overloading Ethereum consensus layer

Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s Co-Founder, recently issued a warning against extending the Ethereum consensus's capabilities. In a blog  post titled, 'Don't overload Ethereum's consensus,' Buterin highlighted the importance of preserving Ethereum and not burdening validators with extra tasks.

Don't overload Ethereum's consensus:https://t.co/07tzyCrZcJ

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) May 21, 2023

Moreover, he stressed over such a burden on Ethereum consensus is directly linked with systemic risks of damaging the ecosystem.

What risks does the overburdening carry?

Buterin said that proposals have been made to exploit the social consensus of Ethereum for a variety of things, including price, data oracles, re-staking initiatives, and using layer-1 soft forks to fix problems with layer-2 projects. The core functionality of the blockchain is naturally inclined to be extended, but Buterin warned that each extension makes the core itself more brittle.

The Co-Founder of Ethereum further claims that some methods used in connection with these proposals represent serious threats to the ecosystem. Creating ETH/USD price oracles, for instance, through the bribery of ETH holders or validators, could result in a fork and possible financial loss. Better oracles were needed, he recognised and emphasised the necessity to handle these issues individually due to their fundamental distinctions.

Encourages re-staking with caution

Buterin stated that increasing the responsibilities of Ethereum's consensus will increase the expenses, difficulties, and hazards related to operating a validator. He further directed caution at the time when application-layer projects make decisions that go beyond confirming the core Ethereum protocol rules. Instead, he pushed for encouraging re-staking methods that do not increase the role of Ethereum's consensus and for encouraged developers to consider other methods for achieving their security objectives.

It must be mentioned that in September 2022, Ethereum's consensus process switched from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake. Moreover, the recent release of the Shapella upgrade has also intensified the emphasis on validator duties and security issues.