Bitcoin Proof-of-Work Algorithm Vulnerability in Bitcoin Software
CVE-2017-9230

7.5HIGH

Key Information:

Vendor

Bitcoin

Status
Bitcoin
Vendor
CVE Published:
24 May 2017

What is CVE-2017-9230?

The vulnerability highlights a flaw in the Bitcoin Proof-of-Work algorithm, which fails to account for specific attack strategies utilizing 80-byte block headers. These headers can exhibit variations in the initial 64-byte chunks, followed by consistent 16-byte chunks, leading to potential manipulation in the mining process. This undermines established security assumptions regarding the independence of Proof-of-Work execution and its difficulty analysis. Some experts argue that this method may represent an advantageous optimization in mining rather than a genuine security flaw.

References

https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1604/1604.00575.pdf
x_refsource_MISC
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2...
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https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2...
x_refsource_MISC

CVSS V3.1

Score:
7.5
Severity:
HIGH
Confidentiality:
High
Integrity:
None
Availability:
High
Attack Vector:
Network
Attack Complexity:
Low
Privileges Required:
None
User Interaction:
None
Scope:
Unchanged

Timeline

  • Vulnerability published

  • Vulnerability Reserved

.