Bob does not need to resolve the cohort himself, it will be performed by the `ThresholdAccessControlClient` - so it was redundant.

nucypher/characters/lawful.py

@@ -603,34 +603,6 @@ class Bob(Character):
 
         return cleartexts
 
-    def resolve_cohort(
-        self, ritual: CoordinatorAgent.Ritual, timeout: int
-    ) -> List["Ursula"]:
-        if timeout > 0:
-            if not self._learning_task.running:
-                self.start_learning_loop(now=True)
-            validators = set([n[0] for n in ritual.transcripts])
-            self.block_until_specific_nodes_are_known(
-                addresses=validators,
-                timeout=timeout,
-                allow_missing=(ritual.dkg_size - ritual.threshold),
-            )
-
-        cohort = list()
-        for staking_provider_address, transcript_bytes in ritual.transcripts:
-            if staking_provider_address not in self.known_nodes:
-                continue
-            remote_operator = self.known_nodes[staking_provider_address]
-            remote_operator.mature()
-            cohort.append(remote_operator)
-
-        if len(cohort) < ritual.threshold:
-            raise Ursula.NotEnoughUrsulas(
-                f"Unable to learn about a threshold, {ritual.threshold}-of-{ritual.dkg_size} Ursulas for ritual"
-            )
-
-        return cohort
-
     @staticmethod
     def __make_decryption_request(
         ritual_id: int,
@@ -653,7 +625,6 @@ class Bob(Character):
         self,
         decryption_request: ThresholdDecryptionRequest,
         participant_public_keys: Dict[ChecksumAddress, SessionStaticKey],
-        cohort: List["Ursula"],
         threshold: int,
         timeout: int,
     ) -> Dict[
@@ -665,9 +636,10 @@ class Bob(Character):
 
         decryption_request_mapping = {}
         shared_secrets = {}
-        for ursula in cohort:
-            ursula_checksum_address = to_checksum_address(ursula.checksum_address)
-            participant_public_key = participant_public_keys[ursula_checksum_address]
+        for (
+            ursula_checksum_address,
+            participant_public_key,
+        ) in participant_public_keys.items():
             shared_secret = requester_sk.derive_shared_secret(participant_public_key)
             encrypted_decryption_request = decryption_request.encrypt(
                 shared_secret=shared_secret,
@@ -735,7 +707,6 @@ class Bob(Character):
         threshold_message_kit: ThresholdMessageKit,
         context: Optional[dict] = None,
         ursulas: Optional[List["Ursula"]] = None,
-        peering_timeout: int = 60,
         decryption_timeout: int = 15,
     ) -> bytes:
         ritual_id = self.get_ritual_id_from_public_key(
@@ -743,12 +714,7 @@ class Bob(Character):
         )
         ritual = self.get_ritual_from_id(ritual_id=ritual_id)
 
-        if not ursulas:
-            # P2P: if the Ursulas are not provided, we need to resolve them from published records.
-            # This is a blocking operation and the ursulas must be part of the cohort.
-            # if the timeout is 0, peering will be skipped in favor if already cached peers.
-            ursulas = self.resolve_cohort(ritual=ritual, timeout=peering_timeout)
-        else:
+        if ursulas:
             for ursula in ursulas:
                 if ursula.staking_provider_address not in ritual.providers:
                     raise ValueError(
@@ -768,7 +734,6 @@ class Bob(Character):
         decryption_shares = self._get_decryption_shares(
             decryption_request=decryption_request,
             participant_public_keys=participant_public_keys,
-            cohort=ursulas,
             threshold=ritual.threshold,
             timeout=decryption_timeout,
         )

nucypher/network/client.py

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class ThresholdAccessControlClient:
         self.log = Logger(self.__class__.__name__)
 
     def _ensure_ursula_availability(
-        self, ursulas: List[ChecksumAddress], threshold: int, timeout=10
+        self, ursulas: List[ChecksumAddress], threshold: int, timeout: int
     ):
         """
         Make sure we know enough nodes;

nucypher/network/decryption.py

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class ThresholdDecryptionClient(ThresholdAccessControlClient):
         self._ensure_ursula_availability(
             ursulas=list(encrypted_requests.keys()),
             threshold=threshold,
-            timeout=timeout,
+            timeout=timeout,  # TODO this was 60s (peering timeout) before
         )
 
         def worker(

tests/acceptance/actors/test_dkg_ritual.py

@@ -227,7 +227,6 @@ def test_ursula_ritualist(
         ):
             _ = bob.threshold_decrypt(
                 threshold_message_kit=threshold_message_kit,
-                peering_timeout=0,
             )
         print("========= UNAUTHORIZED DECRYPTION UNSUCCESSFUL =========")
 
@@ -247,7 +246,6 @@ def test_ursula_ritualist(
         bob.start_learning_loop(now=True)
         cleartext = bob.threshold_decrypt(
             threshold_message_kit=threshold_message_kit,
-            peering_timeout=0,
         )
         assert bytes(cleartext) == PLAINTEXT.encode()
         print("==================== DECRYPTION SUCCESSFUL ====================")

tests/integration/blockchain/test_integration_dkg_ritual.py

@@ -223,7 +223,6 @@ def test_ursula_ritualist(
                     ):
                         bob.threshold_decrypt(
                             threshold_message_kit=threshold_message_kit,
-                            peering_timeout=0,
                         )
                 print("========= UNAUTHORIZED DECRYPTION UNSUCCESSFUL =========")
 
@@ -238,7 +237,6 @@ def test_ursula_ritualist(
                     ):
                         bob.threshold_decrypt(
                             threshold_message_kit=threshold_message_kit,
-                            peering_timeout=0,
                         )
                 print("======== EXPIRED RITUAL DECRYPTION UNSUCCESSFUL ========")
 
@@ -268,7 +266,6 @@ def test_ursula_ritualist(
             ):
                 cleartext = bob.threshold_decrypt(
                     threshold_message_kit=threshold_message_kit,
-                    peering_timeout=0,
                 )
                 assert bytes(cleartext) == PLAINTEXT.encode()