Step 1 - Create multiple accounts. Say a hundred for demonstration purposes.
Step 2 - Send your NEM around in a ring from account 1, 2, 3, etc to 100 and then back to account 1.
Step 3 - Repeat to increase your PoI and then obliterate the network. PROFIT!
That won't work, but have fun.
Few issues here:
a) cluster detection,
b) this should bump poi a bit, but within limits
c) keep in mind your vested balance is part of importance
d) poi recalculation is done every 359 blocks
I've failed to see any
actual math to back up the Nem "devs" assertions that PoI isn't susceptible to these types of attacks.
a) It is impossible for "cluster detection" to detect the infinite amount of account loop configurations.
b) "within limits"? The Poloniex account had ~78% PoI the other day. What are these "limits"?
c) You can leave some NEM in each account. This doesn't prevent this attack. It just makes it a little more costly.
d) Recalculation doesn't matter because this is a sustained attack.
Not saying it wouldn't work in the longer term...
But your "account balance" in not relevant... it's "vested balance"...
Which starts at zero for new transfers... and then after 2-3 days rises SLOWLY and becomes "vested" at 10%/day.
Also, the "harvesting" of the Top 50 accounts has dropped from 75% to 65% last 48 hours...
And these accounts have picked up a grand total of 90,000 XEM worth $23.00
Imagine what you could buy with $23, baby...
I'll bet Spots could take his whole family to McDonalds
But still, the fact that these algos are not publically posted in a Wiki in simple terms looks sloppy.