From 221b1ea3e02020b81e42d2a912ce897b99f90e85 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Chjango Unchained <8525850+Chjango@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2019 08:53:51 -0800 Subject: [PATCH] Merge PR #3616: DOCS: add launch blog post --- docs/gaia/launch/launch-blog-1.md | 222 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 222 insertions(+) create mode 100644 docs/gaia/launch/launch-blog-1.md diff --git a/docs/gaia/launch/launch-blog-1.md b/docs/gaia/launch/launch-blog-1.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..5406048d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/gaia/launch/launch-blog-1.md @@ -0,0 +1,222 @@ +# Cosmos Hub to Launch Mainnet + +## Pre-launch Dependencies & How to Safely Claim Your Atoms + +In the summer of 2016, the [Cosmos whitepaper][whitepaper] was released. In the +spring of 2017, the [Cosmos fundraiser][fundraiser] was completed. In the first +months of 2019, the software is [feature complete][releases]. The launch of the +Cosmos Hub draws near. What does this mean for Atom holders? + +If you are an Atom holder, you will be able to delegate Atoms to validators on +the main network and vote on governance proposals. In fact, the future success +of the network depends on you responsibly doing so! However, you will not be +able to transfer Atoms yet. Transfers will be disabled at the protocol level +until a hard-fork is executed to enable them. + +Atom holders should carefully follow the guidelines in order to safely delegate +Atoms. Please read through the entire guide first to familiarize yourself +before you actually do anything: [CLI guide][cli] + +The process outlined in the guide is currently the only verified and secure way +to delegate Atoms at launch. This is because the gaiacli tool used in the guide +is the only wallet software undergoing third-party security audits right now. +No other wallet providers have begun security audits yet. + +Remember that delegating Atoms involves significant risk. Once delegated to a +validator, Atoms are bonded for a period of time during which they cannot be +recovered. If the validator misbehaves during this time, some or all of the +delegated Atoms may be burned. It is your responsibility to perform due +diligence on validators before delegating! + +The Cosmos Hub is highly experimental software. In these early days, we can +expect to have issues, updates, and bugs. The existing tools require advanced +technical skills and involve risks which are outside of the control of the +Interchain Foundation and/or the Tendermint team (see also the risk section in +the [Interchain Cosmos Contribution Terms][terms]). Any use of this open source +[Apache 2.0 licensed][apache] software is done at your own risk and on a “AS +IS” basis without warranties or conditions of any kind, and any and all +liability of the Interchain Foundation and/or the Tendermint team for damages +arising in connection to the software is excluded. Please exercise extreme +caution! + +If you are looking for more information about delegation and want to talk to +the folks developing Cosmos, join the virtual meetup on February 14 where you +will be walked through the step-by-step instructions for delegating Atoms at +launch. + +Register here: [gotowebinar.com/register/][webinar] + +## Remaining Milestones for Launch + +To follow mainnet launch progress, please bookmark: +[cosmos.network/launch][cosmos]. + +### 5 Cosmos-SDK Security Audits ✔ + +In early January, the Cosmos-SDK underwent the first in a series of third-party +security assessments scheduled for Q1 2019. This audit took place over a two +and a half week period. To date, two different security auditing firms have +assessed various parts of the Cosmos-SDK and a third audit is under way. + +### 4 Cosmos SDK Feature Freeze + +The final breaking changes to the Cosmos-SDK are included in the [v0.31.0 +launch RC][rc]. Once this RC is completed, the Cosmos-SDK team will engage in a +round of internal bug hunting to further ensure sufficient pre-launch security +due diligence. + +Right after Cosmos-SDK v0.31.0 is released, a Gaia testnet will be released in +an effort to flush out any hard to find bugs. + +### 3 Game of Stakes Completed + +Game of Stakes (GoS), [the first adversarial testnet competition of its +kind][gos], was launched in December 2018 to stress test the economic incentive +and social layers of a blockchain network secured purely by Proof-of-Stake. The +GoS blockchain was successfully hard-forked three times to date. As soon as the +GoS concludes, the [scoring criteria][scoring] will be used to determine +winners. Those will be announced following the completion of the game. + +### 2 Genesis Transactions Collected + +The Interchain Foundation will publish a recommendation for the allocation of +Atoms at genesis. This will include allocations for Cosmos fundraiser +participants, early contributors, and Game of Stakes winners. Any one with a +recommended allocation will have the opportunity to submit a gentx, which is +required to become a validator at genesis. The ultimate result of the +recommended allocation and the collection of gentxs is a final [genesis +file][file]. + +### 1 Cosmos Hub Mainnet Launch + +Once a genesis file is adopted by the community, and +⅔ of the voting power +comes online, the Cosmos mainnet will be live. + +## Official Cosmos Communication Channels + +These are the official accounts that will communicate launch details: + +- [Cosmos Network](https://twitter.com/cosmos) +- [Cosmos GitHub](https://github.com/cosmos) +- [Cosmos Blog](https://blog.cosmos.network) + +Please be aware that the [Cosmos forum][forum], [Riot chat groups][riot], and +[Telegram group][telegram] should not be treated as official news from Cosmos. + +If you have doubt or confusion about what next steps to take and are unsure +about trustworthy sources of information, do nothing for the initial period and +wait for an update via the three communication channels listed above. Do not +ever provide your 12 words to any admin, websites or unofficial software. + +**We will never ask you for your private key or your seed phrase.** + +## Staying Safe (and Secure!) for Mainnet Launch + +The launch of any public blockchain is an incredibly exciting time, and it’s +definitely one that malicious actors may try to take advantage of for their own +personal gain. [Social engineering][social] has existed for about as long as +human beings have been on the planet, and in the technical era, it usually +takes in the form of [phishing] or [spearphishing]. Both of these attacks are +wildly successful forms of trickery that are responsible for over 95% of +account security breaches, and they don’t just happen via email: these days, +opportunistic and targeted phishing attempts take place [anywhere that you have +an inbox][inbox]. It doesn’t matter if you’re using Signal, Telegram, SMS, +Twitter, or just checking your DMs on forums or social networks, attackers have +a [plethora of opportunities][opportunities] to gain foothold in your digital +life in effort to separate you from valuable information and assets that you +most definitely don’t want to lose. + +While the prospect of having to deal with a malicious actor plotting against +you may seem daunting, there are many things that you can do to protect +yourself from all kinds of social engineering schemes. In terms of preparing +for mainnet launch, this should require training your instincts to successfully +detect and avoid security risks, curating resources to serve as a source of +truth for verifying information, and going through a few technical steps to +reduce or eliminate the risk of key or credential theft. + +**Here are few rules of engagement to keep in mind when you’re preparing for +Cosmos mainnet launch:** + +- Download software directly from official sources, and make sure that you’re + always using the latest, most secure version of gaiacli when you’re doing + anything that involves your 12 words. The latest versions of Tendermint, the + Cosmos-SDK, and gaiacli will always be available from our official GitHub + repositories, and downloading them from there ensures that you will not be + tricked into using a maliciously modified version of software. + +- Do not share your 12 words with anyone. The only person who should ever need + to know them is you. This is especially important if you’re ever approached + by someone attempting to offer custodial services for your Atom: to avoid + losing control of your tokens, you should store them offline to minimize the + risk of theft and have a strong backup strategy in place. And never, ever + share them with anyone else. + +- Be skeptical of unexpected attachments or emails that ask you to visit a + suspicious or unfamiliar website in the context of blockchains or + cryptocurrency. An attacker may attempt to lure you to a [compromised site] + designed to steal sensitive information from your computer. If you’re a Gmail + user, test your resilience against the latest email-based phishing tactics + [here][quiz]. + +- Do your due diligence before purchasing Atoms. Atoms will not be transferable + at launch, so they *cannot* be bought or sold until a hard fork enables them + to be. If and when they become transferable, make sure that you’ve researched + the seller or exchange to confirm that the Atoms are coming from a + trustworthy source. + +- Neither the Tendermint team nor the Interchain Foundation will be selling + Atoms, so if you see social media posts or emails advertising a token sale + from us, they’re not real and should be avoided. Enable 2-factor + authentication, and be mindful of recovery methods used to regain access to + your most important accounts. Unprotected accounts like email, social media, + your GitHub account, the Cosmos Forum and anything in between could give an + attacker opportunities to gain foothold in your online life. If you haven’t + done so yet, start using an authenticator app or a hardware key immediately + wherever you manage your tokens. This is a simple, effective, and proven way + to reduce the risk of account theft. + +- Be skeptical of technical advice, especially advice that comes from people + you do not know in forums and on group chat channels. Familiarize yourself + with important commands, especially those that will help you carry out + high-risk actions, and consult our official documentation to make sure that + you’re not being tricked into doing something that will harm you or your + validator. And remember that the Cosmos forum, Riot channels, and Telegram + are not sources of official information or news about Cosmos. + +- Verify transactions before hitting send. Yes, those address strings are long, + but visually comparing them in blocks of 4 characters at a time may be the + difference between sending them to the right place or sending them into + oblivion. + +*If a deal pops up that [sounds too good to be true][good], or a message shows +up asking for information that should never, ever be shared with someone else, +you can always work to verify it before engaging with it by navigating to a +website or official Cosmos communication channel on your own. No one from +Cosmos, the Tendermint team or the Interchain Foundation will ever send an +email that asks for you to share any kind of account credentials or your 12 +words with us, and we will always use our official blog, Twitter and GitHub +accounts to communicate important news directly to the Cosmos community.* + +[whitepaper]: https://cosmos.network/resources/whitepaper +[fundraiser]: https://fundraiser.cosmos.network/ +[releases]: https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/releases +[cosmos]: https://cosmos.network/launch +[social]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_engineering_%28security%29 +[phishing]: https://ssd.eff.org/en/module/how-avoid-phishing-attacks +[spearphishing]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing#Spear_phishing +[inbox]: https://www.umass.edu/it/security/phishing-fraudulent-emails-text-messages-phone-calls +[opportunities]: https://jia.sipa.columbia.edu/weaponization-social-media-spear-phishing-and-cyberattacks-democracy +[cli]: https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/blob/develop/docs/gaia/delegator-guide-cli.md +[webinar]: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5028753165739687691 +[terms]: https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos/blob/master/fundraiser/Interchain%20Cosmos%20Contribution%20Terms%20-%20FINAL.pdf +[apache]: https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 +[gos]: https://blog.cosmos.network/announcing-incentivized-testnet-game-efe64e0956f6 +[scoring]: https://github.com/cosmos/game-of-stakes/blob/master/README.md#scoring +[file]: https://forum.cosmos.network/t/genesis-files-network-starts-vs-upgrades/1464 +[forum]: https://forum.cosmos.network/ +[riot]: https://riot.im/app/#/group/+cosmos:matrix.org +[telegram]: http://t.me/cosmosproject +[good]: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-in-the-machine/201712/how-fear-is-being-used-manipulate-cryptocurrency-markets +[rc]: https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/projects/27 +[compromised site]: https://blog.malwarebytes.com/cybercrime/2013/02/tools-of-the-trade-exploit-kits/ +[quiz]: https://phishingquiz.withgoogle.com/