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Summary

Antoine Poinsot and the Bitcoin Core team have disclosed a vulnerability within Bitcoin Core versions prior to 25.0, alongside announcing a new security policy aimed at enhancing transparency and security through regular updates on potential system vulnerabilities. Full details of the disclosed vulnerability and the new policy can be found on Bitcoin Core's website and their security advisories page, respectively.

Ava Chow highlighted the availability of Bitcoin Core version v28.0rc2 binaries, marking a significant step towards the final release of this new major version, with details and preliminary release notes accessible on Bitcoin Core's official website and GitHub. This update signifies the release candidate stage, crucial for rigorous testing and final adjustments before the official launch.

ZmnSCPxj presented the SuperScalar mechanism, a novel construction for efficient offchain liquidity allocation in the Bitcoin Lightning Network, which utilizes Decker-Wattenhofer decrementing-nSequence mechanisms, timeout trees, and laddering strategies to address the Last-Mile Problem (LMP) without blockchain consensus changes. More in-depth discussion on this mechanism and its implications for the Lightning Network can be explored at DelvingBitcoin.org.

Finally, halseth introduced the utxozkp tool, advancing privacy in Lightning Network channel announcements by enabling zero-knowledge proof of UTXO set inclusion. This development not only enhances privacy but also serves as a potential anti-DOS mechanism. The tool, based on the RISC Zero STARK platform and the Utreexo data structure, is still in its early stages, with details available for review on GitHub.

New posts

September 19, 2024 14:26 UTC

bitcoin-dev

Bitcoin Core 28.0 Release Candidate 2 Available
  • Bitcoin Core version v28.0rc2 binaries are now available for download.
  • Preliminary release notes outline enhancements, fixes, and notable changes for the final version.
  • If no significant issues arise, v28.0rc2 will officially become version 28.0.

September 19, 2024 05:15 UTC

bitcoin-dev

Public disclosure of 1 vulnerability affecting Bitcoin Core <24.0.1

1 reply

  • The Bitcoin Core team disclosed a new vulnerability at bitcoincore.org.
  • A new policy for disclosing security issues is now detailed online.
  • Future updates will address pre-25.0 version vulnerabilities next month.

September 17, 2024 14:21 UTC

delvingbitcoin

Hybrid Jamming Mitigation: Results and Updates

2 replies

  • The blog post reviews a study on improving lightning channel resilience against jamming attacks.
  • It details the mitigation strategy's success in various attack scenarios without economic harm.
  • The strategy includes a bidirectional reputation system to enhance defense against sophisticated attacks.

September 16, 2024 20:08 UTC

delvingbitcoin

SuperScalar: Laddered Timeout-Tree-Structured Decker-Wattenhofer Factories

9 replies

  • The SuperScalar mechanism enhances the Bitcoin Lightning Network by enabling efficient, offchain liquidity allocation.
  • It utilizes Decker-Wattenhofer mechanisms, timeout trees, and laddering strategies for security and scalability.
  • Practical implementation focuses on incentivizing user online presence and balancing update efficiency with exit costs.

September 16, 2024 13:01 UTC

delvingbitcoin

Proving UTXO set inclusion in zero-knowledge

9 replies

  • The `utxozkp` tool enhances Lightning Network privacy with zero-knowledge UTXO set proofs.
  • It's in early stages, taking 6 minutes to generate a 1.4 MB proof on an Apple M1 Max.
  • Future updates will improve functionality, with the project welcoming community feedback.

Ongoing Discussions

September 19, 2024 16:21 UTC

delvingbitcoin

Who will run the CoinJoin coordinators?

17 replies

  • Adam Gibson discusses Joinmarket's central communication issues compared to Coinshuffle.
  • A "directory node" via .onion services was introduced to improve decentralization and privacy.
  • Despite facilitating larger P2P coinjoin transactions, the approach underperforms Coinshuffle in privacy.

September 19, 2024 14:55 UTC

delvingbitcoin

PPLNS with job declaration

39 replies

  • The recent graph modifications clarified the delta steps on the MMEF axis.
  • This change improves viewers' understanding of the process by providing a clearer visual representation.
  • It significantly aids in comprehending the mechanism in the context of PPLNS with Job Declaration.

September 18, 2024 18:25 UTC

bitcoin-dev

Adding New BIP Editors

98 replies

  • The draft aims to streamline the BIP process, proposing changes such as eliminating the comments system.
  • Key changes include reducing status values, introducing a "Specification" BIP type, and making Process BIPs living documents.
  • It suggests less involvement of BIP Editors in decisions, pushing for more decentralized decision-making processes.

September 17, 2024 08:13 UTC

delvingbitcoin

Privately sending payments while offline with BOLT12

3 replies

  • The proposal aims to standardize secure remote communication between controls and high-uptime home nodes.
  • It focuses on enhancing security and ease of use by enabling pairing with hardware wallets.
  • Standardizing control messages aims to improve user experience in the Bitcoin Lightning Network.

September 17, 2024 07:23 UTC

delvingbitcoin

Modeling (Social) Consensus About (Cryptographic) Consensus Change

2 replies

  • Exploring consensus changes in Bitcoin highlights significant challenges and time requirements.
  • Karl Popper's falsification theory is applied to evaluate blockchain consensus change processes.
  • The adoption of MAST into Bitcoin after eight years exemplifies the ossification of consensus rules.