When a bitcoin halving event occurs, reducing the rewards for miners, there’s a possibility that some miners, especially those operating less efficient hardware or facing higher operational costs, might find it less profitable to continue mining. This situation could lead to a temporary decrease in the overall hash rate of the Bitcoin network.

A lower hash rate, in theory, could make the network more susceptible to certain attacks, such as the feared 51% attack. This attack involves a single entity gaining control of over 50% of the network’s hash rate, potentially allowing them to manipulate transactions, double-spend coins, or disrupt the network’s normal functioning.

However, despite this theoretical concern, Bitcoin’s network has displayed considerable resilience in the face of such fluctuations. Past halving events have seen temporary dips in the hash rate, yet the network has continued to operate securely without significant compromises to its security.