EIP 3074 is unsafe, unnecessary, puts user funds at risk while fragmenting UX, liquidity and the wallet stack

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Reading https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/eip-3074-is-unsafe-unnecessary-puts-user-funds-at-risk-while-fragmenting-ux-liquidity-and-the-wallet-stack/19662

TLDR

EIP 3074 is an unsafe, unnecessary proposal that puts user funds at risk, fragments the user experience, liquidity, and the wallet ecosystem, while failing to meaningfully improve Ethereum’s account abstraction capabilities.

Key Points :key:

  • User Funds at Risk: EIP 3074 relies on a single signature to access all of a user’s assets, with the wallet expected to prevent abuse - a fragile security model.
  • Confusing Security Model: EIP 3074 makes the Externally Owned Account (EOA) security model much harder to understand, even for experts.
  • Unnecessary: Account abstraction (ERC 4337) is already live on mainnet, and native account abstraction is on the way, making EIP 3074 redundant.
  • Fragments the Ecosystem: EIP 3074 will create two incompatible wallet stacks, fragmenting user experience and liquidity.
  • Enshrines Friction: Instead of helping Ethereum move beyond EOAs, EIP 3074 adds an ugly layer of complexity that will be difficult to remove.

In-depth Summary

The article presents a compelling case against EIP 3074, highlighting several key issues with the proposal. Firstly, it argues that EIP 3074 puts user funds at risk by relying on a single signature to access all of a user’s assets, with the wallet expected to prevent abuse - a fragile security model. This is in contrast to the trust-minimized design of ERC 4337, where paymasters cannot steal user funds.

Secondly, the article states that EIP 3074 makes the EOA security model much harder to understand, even for experts, violating the principle of least surprise. This is a significant concern, as user security and comprehension should be a top priority.

The article also argues that EIP 3074 is unnecessary, as account abstraction (ERC 4337) is already live on mainnet, and native account abstraction is on the way. This makes EIP 3074 redundant and a potential source of fragmentation in the ecosystem.

Furthermore, the article suggests that EIP 3074 will create two incompatible wallet stacks, fragmenting user experience and liquidity. It also argues that the proposal enshrines friction and bloat, instead of helping Ethereum move beyond EOAs.

Writer’s Main Point

The primary point the author is trying to make is that EIP 3074 is a flawed proposal that puts user funds at risk, fragments the ecosystem, and fails to meaningfully improve Ethereum’s account abstraction capabilities. The article advocates for a more thoughtful and secure approach to account abstraction, such as the one provided by ERC 4337 and the upcoming native account abstraction solutions.