Trust as little as you can

The ladder, from least trust to most

1. Your own arcade, checked by you. The ideal.
   • Install from the public source and read it, or at least the changes in each release before you take it. Check the release's signature: an arcade installed from the project's download does this for every update. Installs made with git don't check it yet.
   • Run every chain's own software yourself instead of borrowing it, so every block you see is checked by your own machine. The installer verifies each coin's software (SHA-256 and GPG) before it runs.
   • Use it from your own browser on the same machine (http://127.0.0.1:8420). The code that runs your wallet then comes straight from code you checked.
   You still rely on your own computer, your browser and the libraries underneath, but on no other person.
2. Your own arcade from the signed release. You don't read the code, but you trust the release signature rather than any operator. A borrowed chain adds a little trust in the arcade that lends it, partly checked by proof of work.
3. An arcade run by someone you know. You trust them to serve the standard pages. They can't touch your coins, but a changed page could, so this rung is the next best thing to your own.
4. Any arcade. Fine for looking around, posting and small amounts. Keep anything that asks you to trust someone small.

Making the next best thing better

The team's current work is about trust you can see. Each arcade will be able to show that it serves the standard, signed pages, and arcades will spot-check each other. Players will see a badge such as "Stock, signed" or "Modified", and an arcade will only pass a player on to arcades it trusts. These are plans, not promises; see where it's headed.

On every rung

Run your own arcade · the security model in full