Dimension 10: Cross-Chain Messaging
Conditional: bridge trust model, sequencer risk, fraud proof maturity, cross-chain replay risk.
What We Measure
This conditional dimension activates for protocols that operate across multiple chains or depend on cross-chain messaging. We analyze the trust model and attack surface of cross-chain operations. This covers bridge trust models (optimistic, ZK, committee-based), sequencer risk and liveness dependencies, fraud proof maturity and challenge period adequacy, message verification and replay protection, cross-chain state consistency guarantees, and the blast radius of a bridge compromise or sequencer failure.
What Raises This Score
Zero cross-chain dependencies in core protocol logic
Mature fraud proof systems with adequate challenge periods
Multiple independent message verification paths
Replay protection across all supported chains
Graceful degradation when cross-chain communication fails
ZK-based verification (cryptographic rather than economic security)
Battle-tested bridge infrastructure with long operational history
What Lowers This Score
Single sequencer with no fallback or force-inclusion mechanism
Committee-based bridges with insufficient validator diversity
No fraud proof system live (trust-only optimistic bridges)
Missing replay protection across chain deployments
Core protocol functions dependent on cross-chain message delivery
Short challenge periods that limit fraud proof effectiveness
Cross-chain state that can be manipulated via message ordering
Why This Weight
This is a conditional dimension (0% base weight) that activates only for protocols with cross-chain operations. When active, its weight is redistributed from the base allocation. It is conditional because many DeFi protocols operate entirely on a single chain. For those that do bridge or operate cross-chain, this dimension captures the substantial additional risk introduced by trust assumptions in cross-chain messaging infrastructure.