Caldera Series (5): Hyperlane Message Passing Security
Continuing the discussion on the security of Hyperlane message passing. Hyperlane is a system based on the Hyperlane protocol, which is the core of Metalayer's cross-chain communication, specifically designed for rollups, ensuring secure and reliable message passing from one chain to another.
So, how does Hyperlane ensure security? It employs multiple mechanisms: Firstly, message passing supports 1-to-1 or many-to-1 modes; whether writing execution functions or reading pulled data, encryption is applied. Secondly, Hyperlane introduces Data Availability Certificates (DACerts) and proof of failure to prevent data tampering or loss. If there is an issue with the source chain, the system will wait until the finality flag is confirmed before relaying to avoid potential risks. Additionally, the entire process has extremely low latency, typically completing settlements within seconds, and partners like Across and Eco provide additional bridging support.
Among these, the $ERA token is key to ensuring system security. As a cross-chain gas token, the ERA token is used to pay for the costs of cross-chain messages, including the costs related to relaying and verification. The ERA token not only simplifies the operational process but also incentivizes validators through a staking mechanism, allowing users running nodes to earn ERA rewards, thereby enhancing the resilience of the entire network. For example, when you transfer an NFT on the gaming chain, Hyperlane can securely pass messages, while the ERA token ensures the abstraction of gas fees, so you don't have to worry about the currency on the target chain. To date, the Hyperlane system within the Caldera ecosystem has supported over 550 million transactions, with more than 17 million users, and has demonstrated excellent security performance.
Why do we emphasize security so much? In the world of blockchain, hacking attacks are rampant; however, Hyperlane, through auditing and multi-signature mechanisms, along with the economic model of ERA, makes the cost of attacks extremely high. For developers, integration can be easily achieved through the TypeScript SDK, and the system's security will not be compromised as a result.
In short, the ERA token is not just a tool for Hyperlane, but a guardian of network security and reliability.
