Blockchain: automatic fork protection

An automated fork protection system for providing automatic fork protection in a blockchain comprising:

• at least one hardware processor configured to:
• access a transaction database shared by multiple computing nodes participating in a system based on a blockchain protocol, the transaction database including transactions and blocks, where the transactions are data to be stored in a blockchain data structure and the blocks are records that confirm a timing of appending a transaction as part of the blockchain, said blockchain including a first block including a transaction associated with a user, said first block having validated by said participating multiple computing nodes;
• detect an occurrence of a fork in the blockchain data structure, said fork defining first and second branches of transactions and blocks, a first branch of said fork including said first block associated with the user;
• determine responsive to the detected occurrence of a fork in the blockchain data structure a resolution by said multiple computing nodes in favor of said first branch or said second branch of said fork;
• determine that the first block and corresponding validated transaction associated with said user included in the blockchain structure has failed as being part of the first branch of said fork not favorably resolved by said multiple computing nodes;
• determine a presence of a further block in said block chain data structure associated with a separate transaction having a transaction term comprising a fork protection field indicating that the user has requested a fork protection for the validated transaction indicated in said first block from a fork protection providing entity;
• and
• in response to determining the first block and corresponding transaction associated with said user included in the blockchain structure has failed, automatically providing a claim showing the validated transaction in the first block that has failed;
• automatically receive, responsive to said claim, a new transaction for entry in the blockchain, the new transaction including a term indicating a transfer of compensation from the fork protection providing entity to the user in a currency associated with the blockchain for at least a portion of a loss suffered by the party due to the failure of the validated transaction as a result of the fork occurrence.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one hardware processor of a computer-system, configure the at least one hardware processor to:

• access a transaction database shared by multiple computing nodes participating in a system based on a blockchain protocol, the transaction database including transactions and blocks, where the transactions are data to be stored in a blockchain data structure and the blocks are records that confirm a timing of appending a transaction as part of the blockchain, said blockchain including a first block including a transaction associated with a user, said first block having validated by said participating multiple computing nodes;
• detect an occurrence of a fork in the blockchain data structure, said fork defining first and second branches of transactions and blocks, a first branch of said fork including said first block associated with the user;
• determine responsive to the detected occurrence of a fork in the blockchain data structure a resolution by said multiple computing nodes in favor of said first branch or said second branch of said fork;
• determine that the first block and corresponding validated transaction associated with said user included in the blockchain structure has failed as being part of the first branch of said fork not favorably resolved by said multiple computing nodes;
• determine a presence of a further block in said block chain data structure associated with a separate transaction having a transaction term comprising a fork protection field indicating that the user has requested a fork protection for the validated transaction indicated in said first block from a fork protection providing entity;
• and
• in response to determining the first block and corresponding transaction associated with said user included in the blockchain structure has failed, automatically providing a claim showing the validated transaction in the first block that has failed;
• automatically receive, responsive to said claim, a new transaction for entry in the blockchain, the new transaction including a term indicating a transfer of compensation from the fork protection providing entity to the user in a currency associated with the blockchain for at least a portion of a loss suffered by the party due to the failure of the validated transaction as a result of the fork occurrence.