Blockchain Takeovers in Web 3.0: An Empirical Study on the TRON-Steem Incident

Abstract: A fundamental goal of Web 3.0 is to establish a decentralized network and application ecosystem, thereby enabling users to retain control over their data while promoting value exchange. However, the recent Tron-Steem takeover incident poses a significant threat to this vision. In this paper, we present a thorough empirical analysis of the Tron-Steem takeover incident. By conducting a fine-grained reconstruction of the stake and election snapshots within the Steem blockchain, one of the most prominent social-oriented blockchains, we quantify the marked shifts in decentralization pre and post the takeover incident, highlighting the severe threat that blockchain network takeovers pose to the decentralization principle of Web 3.0. Moreover, by employing heuristic methods to identify anomalous voters and conducting clustering analyses on voter behaviors, we unveil the underlying mechanics of takeover strategies employed in the Tron-Steem incident and suggest potential mitigation strategies, which contribute to the enhanced resistance of Web 3.0 networks against similar threats in the future. We believe the insights gleaned from this research help illuminate the challenges imposed by blockchain network takeovers in the Web 3.0 era, suggest ways to foster the development of decentralized technologies and governance, as well as to enhance the protection of Web 3.0 user rights.