Ethereum Developers Propose EIP-7917 to Enhance Proposer Election Security

An Ethereum developer has drafted EIP-7917, a proposal aimed at addressing the uncertainty issue in the current proposer election process. The proposal, jointly drafted by developers @linoscope and @JustinDrake, is titled "Deterministic proposer lookahead."

The current Ethereum consensus mechanism selects a proposer for a slot from the entire active validator set using a random sampling algorithm. This algorithm is based on a random number, such as RANDAO, and Effective Balance weighting. While the RANDAO seed can be obtained in advance, the fluctuation of validator effective balances within an epoch makes it difficult to predict the proposers for the next epoch. This unpredictability poses risks to on-chain applications that rely on the pre-commitment protocol.

EIP-7917 aims to solve this uncertainty issue by precomputing and storing a deterministic proposer list at the beginning of each epoch. This approach enhances the system's security by preventing validator manipulation and simplifies on-chain protocol implementation. Additionally, the proposal maintains backward compatibility and scalability, ensuring that the Ethereum network can continue to evolve without disrupting existing systems.

By addressing the uncertainty in the proposer election process, EIP-7917 could significantly improve the reliability and security of the Ethereum network. This proposal is a step forward in ensuring that the Ethereum ecosystem remains robust and efficient, benefiting both developers and users alike. The deterministic proposer list will provide a more predictable and secure environment for on-chain applications, reducing the risks associated with the current system's unpredictability.