By: Geeq  on May 3, 2023

• Encryption upgrade is code complete for v4.8
• Chain state view calculations added
• Work beginning on ecosystem update
• Network actor deletion function complete

Encryption upgrade is code complete for protocol v4.8

The dev team has upgraded the encryption algorithm in Geeq’s protocol v4.8 to Ed25519. The upgrade provides greater security for users of any basic Geeq chain compared to the initial encryption algorithm. (Read Geeq’s Introduction to Encryption to learn about public private key pairs.) Ed25519 is also efficient which is important for blockchain performance where each chain is expected to process large volumes of transactions.

The exercise of upgrading the encryption for a Geeq chain had independent value. It demonstrated the code is being written such that changing the encryption algorithm leaves the logic of all the validation checks intact. Put another way, the protocol works regardless of the encryption algorithm used.

Being able to provide a multi-chain environment with different key lengths over time is important because some algorithms take more computing resources. Some users may not want to pay the costs for those transactions, whereas highly sensitive information may require greater protection. As envisioned in Geeq’s White Paper, the dev team has shown that Geeq’s upgrade path is feasible.

Chain state view calculations added for v4.8

Geeq’s protocol is different from other protocols because it is a leaderless protocol. At Geeq, each independent node receives the same set of transactions and builds its own block. Each individual node is responsible for following the validation protocol exactly. Following protocol can only result in a single correct answer, so honest nodes will appear to have reached consensus even though they have done their work independently.

Geeq’s protocol does not depend on the standard assumptions of a sufficiently honest network that are required in order for Proof of Work, Proof of Stake, or Proof of Authority blockchain protocols to produce honest results, which results in far greater security.

In April, the dev team began to implement code for a node to calculate its chain state view. If two nodes have different chain state views for the same block height, then it is immediately evident that at least one is wrong. This work provides the foundation for Geeq’s chain hash proofs of ancestry, proofs of validity, and durable proofs of inclusion.

Every node’s chain state view must include its calculation of the following merkle roots (for its own Block N):

• The Merkle Root for its Validation Block
• The Merkle Root for its Validation Ledger
• The Merkle Root for its Application Block
• The Merkle Root for its Application Ledger

These chain state views are then included in the content statement of each network actor in Block (N+1).

Geeq’s architecture is built to validate applications at scale without requiring rollups or smart contracts.

Work beginning on ecosystem update

Geeq maintains a blockchain instance for the community’s use, with its attestation app Geeq Data and the corresponding block explorer. The ecosystem is being updated so the apps will match v4.8. The team is testing the stability of the apps – if you use them and encounter a bug, please report it to the Service Desk!

Network actor deletion function complete

The network actor records are required to keep track of which nodes are present in the network at any given time. The team successfully deleted servers both logically and physically in v4.8.

We hope you enjoyed reading and, as always, thank you for your support!
– The Geeq Team