A Survey on Proof of Sequential Work: Development, Security Analysis, and Application Prospects.

Jingjing Zhang, Yinxia Ran, Xiuju Huang, Cong Zuo, Junke Duan, Yun Pan, Licheng Wang, Jingtao Wang

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Entropy (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jingjing ZhangSchool of Computer and Cyber Sciences, Communication University of China, Dingfuzhuang East Street, Beijing 100024, China.ORCID 0009-0001-0029-6636

Yinxia RanSchool of Computer and Cyber Sciences, Communication University of China, Dingfuzhuang East Street, Beijing 100024, China.

Xiuju HuangSchool of Cyberspace Science and Technolog, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.

Cong ZuoSchool of Cyberspace Science and Technolog, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.

Junke DuanSchool of Cyberspace Science and Technolog, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.

Yun PanSchool of Computer and Cyber Sciences, Communication University of China, Dingfuzhuang East Street, Beijing 100024, China.

Licheng WangSchool of Cyberspace Science and Technolog, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.

Jingtao WangSchool of Computer and Cyber Sciences, Communication University of China, Dingfuzhuang East Street, Beijing 100024, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8972-247X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Proof of sequential work (PoSW), as an emerging cryptographic primitive, is designed to provide a verifiable method for proving that a computational process has incurred a real and continuous expenditure of time. This characteristic demonstrates its significant application potential in decentralized systems, time-stamping services, and trusted computing. This paper systematically reviews and discusses the developmental trajectory, typical variants, potential attacks, and diverse applications of PoSW. Concurrently, it places a special emphasis on analyzing the evolutionary path and application scenarios of its important special case-the verifiable delay function (VDF) aiming to provide a comprehensive reference for research and practice in related fields.

Indexed as

proof of sequential worktimed cryptographytime-lock puzzlesverifiable delay functions

Identifiers

PMID41593940

DOI10.3390/e28010033

PMCPMC12840403

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