# RSKIP-179: BTC-RSK timestamp linking

**URL:** <https://research.rsk.dev/t/rskip-179-btc-rsk-timestamp-linking/44>\
**Category:** Merge-mining\
**Created:** [October 17, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://research.rsk.dev/t/rskip-179-btc-rsk-timestamp-linking/44 "2020-10-17T00:35:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SergioDemianLerner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@SergioDemianLerner](https://research.rsk.dev/u/SergioDemianLerner)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://research.rsk.dev/t/rskip-179-btc-rsk-timestamp-linking/44/1 "2020-10-17T00:35:21Z")

</div>

This is the first of the consensus changes required to implement Strong Fork-aware Merge-Mining (SFAMM). The change improves the security of RSK by itself, and together with RSKIP178 it will provide even stronger merge-mining security.

You can read the RSKIP [here](https://github.com/rsksmart/RSKIPs/blob/master/IPs/RSKIP179.md).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ajlopez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/34f0e0/32.png) [@ajlopez](https://research.rsk.dev/u/ajlopez)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://research.rsk.dev/t/rskip-179-btc-rsk-timestamp-linking/44/2 "2020-10-17T01:31:29Z")

</div>

There is no link/explanation/rationale in the original document about what is a “Strong Fork-aware Merge-Mining”

The last time I read it, 178 document also missed the above information, and at least at [https://github.com/rsksmart/RSKIPs/blob/exthashrate/IPs/RSKIP178.md](https://github.com/rsksmart/RSKIPs/blob/exthashrate/IPs/RSKIP178.md) the link to discussion is also omitted

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SergioDemianLerner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@SergioDemianLerner](https://research.rsk.dev/u/SergioDemianLerner)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://research.rsk.dev/t/rskip-179-btc-rsk-timestamp-linking/44/3 "2020-11-16T14:05:12Z")

</div>

That’s correct. There is a paper we’ll soon publish with the justification for the changes proposed for SFAMM.  
A faster option would be to include in the RSKIP more information about the attacks it prevents. During the coming month we’ll improve it in either way.  
thanks

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SergioDemianLerner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@SergioDemianLerner](https://research.rsk.dev/u/SergioDemianLerner)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2020, 8:39pm UTC](https://research.rsk.dev/t/rskip-179-btc-rsk-timestamp-linking/44/4 "2020-11-24T20:39:09Z")

</div>

I’ve updated the rationale section of the RSKIP to show the motive behind the RSKIP. Now, the SFAMM paper publication is not required to understand the benefit of this change.