Double-Spending Attacks in Cross-Blockchain Ecosystems

Blockchain technology has continued to evolve rapidly in recent years. However, the lack of efficient methods to transmit data and value between different blockchains has created many disjoint data silos. Cross-chain technology has been introduced and applied across various fields, including distributed transaction platforms, digital finance, and electronic governance, to address this issue. However, this, in turn, reignited concerns regarding possible vulnerabilities in the cross-chain environment. In this paper, we aim to explore how double-spending vulnerabilities manifest in cross-chain environments. Specifically, we investigate how attack vectors at consensus-level and network-level may be leveraged or amplified in cross-chain transactions. Although, double-spending attacks are well-documented in single-chain systems, there are still issues and challenges related to these vulnerabilities in blockchain interoperability settings.This allows us to pinpoint the potential security threats associated with cross-chain technology and identify future research directions.