Slashing

Slashing is a penalty mechanism designed to discourage dishonest or malicious behavior by validators. If a validator is found to engage in activities like double-signing or not participating when supposed to, a portion or all of their staked cryptocurrency can be destroyed or "slashed."
This process aims to maintain network security by ensuring validators act in the best interest of the blockchain. The severity of slashing can vary, depending on the specific rules of the blockchain protocol, ranging from small deductions to complete loss of the staked amount.
Slashing serves as a deterrent, reinforcing accountability and trust in the decentralized consensus mechanism.