Timeserver Core

A distributed timestamp service providing cryptographically secure, consensus-validated timestamps for blockchain MEV prevention.

Overview

The Timeserver Core provides a distributed network of timestamp validators that work together to create tamper-proof, globally ordered timestamps. When integrated with a blockchain, it enables mathematical prevention of MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) attacks by enforcing strict chronological ordering of transactions.

Key Features

MEV Prevention

• Strict Timestamp Ordering: Enforces chronological transaction ordering, making frontrunning mathematically impossible
• Threshold Signatures: Requires multiple independent validators to sign timestamps
• Drift Protection: Prevents timestamp manipulation through strict drift limits

Regional Architecture

• Geographic Distribution: Servers organized into regions for low latency
• Cross-Region Consistency: Global ordering maintained while allowing regional independence
• Latency Handling: Configurable MaxDrift parameters account for network delays

Fast Path Implementation

• Quick Response: Optimized path for rapid timestamp acquisition
• Median Selection: Uses median timestamp from validators to prevent outliers
• Drift Checks: Validates timestamps against drift limits

Architecture

Components

• Consensus Module: Implements PBFT consensus for timestamp validation
• Region Manager: Handles geographic distribution and server assignment
• Fast Path: Provides optimized timestamp acquisition
• Network Layer: Manages P2P communication between validators

Security Features

• Threshold Signatures: Requires f+1 valid signatures in a 3f+1 system
• Drift Protection: Rejects timestamps outside acceptable drift windows
• Byzantine Fault Tolerance: Maintains correctness with up to f Byzantine validators

Integration

Blockchain Integration

1. Request timestamp from timeserver network
2. Include signed timestamp in transaction
3. Blockchain enforces strict ordering based on timestamps

MEV Prevention

• Transactions must include valid timestamps
• Block producers must respect timestamp ordering
• Higher gas fees cannot override chronological order

Configuration

Regional Setup

regions:
  - id: "us-east"
    name: "US East"
    servers: ["validator1", "validator2", "validator3"]
  - id: "eu-west"
    name: "Europe West"
    servers: ["validator4", "validator5", "validator6"]

Drift Parameters

consensus:
  maxDrift: "100ms"      # Maximum drift between validators
  futureWindow: "500ms"  # Maximum future timestamp allowed
  minValidators: 4       # Minimum validators for consensus

Getting Started

Prerequisites

1. Go 1.21 or later
2. Protocol Buffers compiler (protoc)
   • Mac: brew install protobuf
   • Linux: apt-get install protobuf-compiler
   • Or download from protobuf releases
3. Go plugins for protocol buffers:

   go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@latest
   go install google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc@latest

Building

1. Generate gRPC code:

   make proto

2. Build the timeserver:

   make build

3. Run tests:

   make test

Running

1. Configure validators and regions in config.yaml
2. Start timeserver network:

   ./bin/timeserver -config config.yaml

Integration

The timeserver provides both gRPC and REST APIs:

gRPC API

service TimestampService {
  rpc GetTimestamp(GetTimestampRequest) returns (GetTimestampResponse)
  rpc VerifyTimestamp(VerifyTimestampRequest) returns (VerifyTimestampResponse)
  rpc GetValidators(GetValidatorsRequest) returns (GetValidatorsResponse)
  rpc GetStatus(GetStatusRequest) returns (GetStatusResponse)
}

REST API

• POST /v1/timestamp: Get new timestamp
• POST /v1/timestamp/verify: Verify timestamp
• GET /v1/validators: List validators
• GET /v1/status: Get status

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for details on our code of conduct and development process.

License

This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0 - see the LICENSE file for details.