debug_getBadBlocks

The debug_getBadBlocks method returns a list of invalid blocks that have been observed and rejected by the Ethereum node. This method is particularly valuable for developers, network operators, and security researchers who need to detect, analyze, and understand consensus flaws or network inconsistencies.

Use Cases

• Detect consensus issues and protocol violations in the network
• Analyze fork occurrences and their underlying causes
• Debug node synchronization problems and reorg-related issues
• Validate blockchain integrity across different clients
• Monitor network health and identify potential attacks
• Investigate chain reorganizations and their patterns
• Diagnose client-specific validation issues
• Audit block validation logic in client implementations
• Identify malicious block producers and their patterns
• Research network partition incidents

Method Details

This method does not require any parameters and returns information about any invalid blocks detected by the node.

Response Example

{
	"jsonrpc": "2.0",
	"id": 1,
	"result": [
		{
			"hash": "0x4a62f91774346144245d80e21065ab1cbc807f43611b675966dced62a6e7f7a6",
			"block": {
				"parentHash": "0x825e81563696f5eb82fe94ad52526fec1c8937b28d36bd88051e33739281d85a",
				"sha3Uncles": "0x1dcc4de8dec75d7aab85b567b6ccd41ad312451b948a7413f0a142fd40d49347",
				"miner": "0x3daeee3e90d51acd79fe4446fe6962c4e0e78e9977f39cf731ed0d5b5418269b",
				"stateRoot": "0xf2790a1421d95c8d3f3d1c8a8e2342a704aef457d3996a5df9a77a818f2c8fa5",
				"transactionsRoot": "0x56e81f171bcc55a6ff8345e692c0f86e5b48e01b996cadc001622fb5e363b421",
				"receiptsRoot": "0x56e81f171bcc55a6ff8345e692c0f86e5b48e01b996cadc001622fb5e363b421",
				"logsBloom": "0x000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000",
				"difficulty": "0x1",
				"number": "0xc9b44",
				"gasLimit": "0x1c9c380",
				"gasUsed": "0x0",
				"timestamp": "0x65b131e7",
				"extraData": "0xd983010a1d846765746888676f312e32312e30856c696e7578",
				"mixHash": "0x9a7ab7c6c8fde86c8b9d6f49cd579bb2e9a868b8ff53bc3c3b767deaacc21c0a",
				"nonce": "0x0000000000000000",
				"baseFeePerGas": "0x12a05f200",
				"transactions": []
			},
			"rlp": "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"
		}
	]
}

Empty Response Example

{
	"jsonrpc": "2.0",
	"id": 1,
	"result": []
}

Common Block Validation Errors

Invalid blocks can fail validation for various reasons:

1. Invalid state transition: The resulting state doesn't match the expected state root
2. Invalid block header: Fields like nonce, difficulty, or gas limit violate consensus rules
3. Invalid transaction: Contains an invalid transaction (e.g., signature issues)
4. Uncle block validation: Uncle references don't follow protocol rules
5. Timestamp issues: Block timestamp violates allowed deviation rules
6. Gas limit violations: Gas limit adjustments exceed allowed range
7. PoW validation failures: Proof of work doesn't meet difficulty requirements
8. EIP violation: Violates rules introduced by an activated Ethereum Improvement Proposal

Analyzing the RLP Data

The RLP (Recursive Length Prefix) encoded data provides the raw block representation:

• Use RLP decoders to analyze the exact structure
• Compare with valid blocks to identify differences
• Extract specific fields that may be causing validation issues
• Valuable for deep technical investigations of consensus issues

Performance Considerations

• This method has minimal performance impact on nodes
• Response size depends on how many bad blocks have been observed
• Using this method doesn't affect node operation or sync status
• Nodes may limit how many bad blocks they store to conserve memory

Important Notes

• This method is primarily used by node operators and developers investigating consensus issues
• An empty array is returned if no invalid blocks have been detected
• The method requires debug APIs to be enabled on the Ethereum node (--http.api=eth,debug,net,web3)
• Not all Ethereum clients support this method (primarily available in Geth)
• Invalid blocks might be discarded by nodes after some time for memory efficiency
• When running a node in pruning mode, historical bad blocks may not be available
• Bad blocks are typically not propagated across the network after being rejected
• Different clients may have slight differences in block validation logic
• The RLP encoded data is essential for detailed forensic analysis
• Blocks can be invalid due to honest errors or malicious attempts

See also

• debug_traceBlock - Trace all transactions in a block
• debug_traceBlockByHash - Trace block transactions by hash
• eth_getBlockByHash - Get basic block information
• eth_getBlockByNumber - Get block by number