Ethereum Layer Two Client Similarity: Geth

Abstract

Many layer two networks on Ethereum claim to implement equivalent functionality as Ethereum itself. Often, this is achieved by taking Ethereum client code and re-using it to build layer two blocks. In this work, we look at the re-use and modification of the Go Ethereum (geth) client by layer two networks. We compare the similarity of these codebases to the geth codebase in order to understand what kinds of changes are made and how these codebases evolve. This is important to determine how prevalent vulnerabilities might be, determine how updates are propagated, and establish dependencies that exist within the Ethereum layer two ecosystem. We find that the majority of layer two networks are in fact re-using geth code, but it is not always clear what the specific codebases are being used to operate these networks. This contrasts with the open-source ethos of the broader ecosystem and reinforces that most layer two networks are operated not only in a centralized manner but also in an opaque one. Moreover, this demonstrates that there may be significant challenges in determining whether security updates have been applied across these networks.