Validation of the Results of Cross-chain Smart Contract Based on Confirmation Method
Hong Su
TL;DR
This paper addresses the risk that cross-chain smart-contract results may be trusted without local validation. It proposes validating producer-blockchain smart contracts on a separate consumer-runtime and introduces a confirmation with proof mechanism to embed producer-chain evidence into the consumer chain, enabling a unified view of cross-chain results. The work contributes a smart-contract–level validation approach, resource–efficient strategies like collective validation and embedded/disposable contracts, and a formal cross-chain confirmation framework with proof, including a tailored block header/segment design and security analysis. Verification experiments show feasible resource usage, meaningful storage savings through collaboration, and clear trade-offs with cross-chain segment length impacting cheating and rebranch probabilities. Overall, the approach enhances cross-chain security and integrity with practical mechanisms for validation and proof-based confirmation suitable for multi-chain interoperability and potential IoT/DeFi integration.
Abstract
Smart contracts are widely utilized in cross-chain interactions, where their results are transmitted from one blockchain (the producer blockchain) to another (the consumer blockchain). Unfortunately, the consumer blockchain often accepts these results without executing the smart contracts for validation, posing potential security risks. To address this, we propose a method for validating cross-chain smart contract results. Our approach emphasizes consumer blockchain execution of cross-chain smart contracts of producer blockchain, allowing comparison of results with the transmitted ones to detect potential discrepancies and ensure data integrity during cross-chain data dissemination. Additionally, we introduce the confirmation with proof method, which involves incorporating the chain of blocks and relevant cross-chain smart contract data from the producer blockchain into the consumer blockchain as evidence (or proof), establishing a unified and secure perspective of cross-chain smart contract results. Our verification results highlight the feasibility of cross-chain validation at the smart contract level.