Bitcoin Core fixes hidden privacy risk before next major release

Source Domain: crypto.news

Bitcoin Core has released version 31.1rc1, fixing a privacy flaw in PrivateBroadcast while introducing software, wallet, and validation improvements ahead of the next stable mainnet release.

Summary

Bitcoin Core 31.1rc1 fixes a privacy flaw that could expose users’ IP addresses during PrivateBroadcast.
The release also improves blockchain validation, wallet accuracy, networking, and MuSig2 security.
Developers are encouraging community testing before the stable version is released.

According to the Bitcoin Core development team, version 31.1rc1 is now available as a release candidate, giving users, node operators, and developers an opportunity to test nearly finished software before the official production release. The developers said the testing period is intended to uncover any remaining issues that may not have appeared during internal development.

The most notable change addresses a privacy issue affecting the PrivateBroadcast feature. According to the release notes, certain network conditions could expose a user’s internet address by allowing a connection outside the intended privacy network. The updated software removes that behavior, making transaction broadcasting more consistent for users who rely on privacy-focused network configurations.

Privacy protections and node performance receive upgrades

Alongside the privacy fix, the Bitcoin Core developers introduced several changes to improve blockchain validation and long-term node performance. According to the project documentation, the software now manages transaction-related data more efficiently while maintaining a leaner blockchain database, a change designed to reduce unnecessary storage growth and improve performance as the chain expands.

Networking behavior has also been refined. The developers said Bitcoin Core now handles proxy settings and PrivateBroadcast connections more intelligently, providing more…

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