Multi-feature weighted PBFT with reputation monopoly prevention

Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) imposes a high communication overhead and is susceptible to reputation monopolies in scoring-based consensus. Driven by these limitations, this study proposes a Multi-feature Weighting-based PBFT (MF-PBFT) to mitigate reputation monopoly in trusted nodes. The developed approach retains the traditional grouping and scoring mechanisms by introducing attribute prioritization and objective evaluation of candidate nodes. Moreover, to evaluate node capabilities comprehensively, weights are assigned based on the distribution of scores across multiple attributes, including trust, response speed, and communication efficiency. Furthermore, a score-decay function measures and controls the degree of score decentralization among nodes in the consensus process. Finally, a penalty factor deters malicious nodes from participating in the consensus process. Experimental results demonstrate that MF-PBFT enhances consensus efficiency by selecting robust nodes and fostering fair, decentralized node participation in consensus.