10 ms·

Note: "Libbitcoin" here is a company name, and not a name of the core bitcoin library. Only their products and whoever used them as a 3rd party is affected.

Modified3019 3y ago
Exactly what I came here to find out, thank you.
drexlspivey 3y ago
Here's a thread on how bitcoin core generates entropy https://twitter.com/raw_avocado/status/1445024873382809604 https://twitter.com/raw_avocado/status/1445024873382809604
- nullc 3y ago
  that thread is a little confused: Particularly, 'The Dynamic and Static events are mixed in(mostly) by using "<<" Left Shift Bits. Because it's a binary operation, every digit is a power of 2, so shifting the bit n positions ends up multiplying by 2^n. This adds further confusion when multiple numbers are used at once.' --- the tweet appears to be confusing C++ stream usage of "<<" with shifting (and as a result makes it sound like the code is doing something idiotic). Here is how it works: Lots of potential entropy sources including the essential good ones (as well as junk ones like timestamps and user/host info) are fed into a cryptographic hash then strengthened with iterated hashing. The junk sources are included as a hail mary so the user might have some chance to move their funds if they learn about vulnerabilities in their OS/hardware RNGs before an attacker can brute force out the weak sources.
  - alexwaltz 3y ago
    OMG, i'm a bit star struck seeing you reply to this. Been reading you posts on btctalk for years :D Sorry about that, my bad, I though i understand how that works, when I was exploring this topic i literally asked everyone i know and no one seemed to have any idea, and then when i felt i got a conclusion i was happy i found some explanation. Anyway that just an excuse at the end of the day. I have added to the thread a screenshoot of your reply and link to this conversation. https://twitter.com/raw_avocado/status/1689317198626422784 https://twitter.com/raw_avocado/status/1689317198626422784 Thanks for clarifying that.
    - nullc 3y ago
      No need for excuses. The fact that people didn't already get this stuff well enough to correct you on the spot suggests that there is a need for more explanation!
WraithM 3y ago
libbitcoin isn't a company. It's an alternative C++ implementation (https://github.com/libbitcoin https://github.com/libbitcoin) to the Bitcoin Core (https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin) implementation. Bitcoin Core is the one originally from Satoshi. Libbitcoin came in like 2011 or so iirc and was led by Amir Taaki. Libbitcoin is a lot less popular than Bitcoin Core, as you can see on the github stats.
- usr1106 3y ago
  Last release 2019, master branch marked as non-functional. Doesn't seem to be very active. Their homepage https://libbitcoin.info/ https://libbitcoin.info/ looks polished, but no signs of recent life. This vulnerability seems unmentioned. Well, they claim it's not a vulnerability but a demo implementation that should not be used to store anything of value. But there is no prominent note about that and some users did exactly that.

Modified3019 3y ago

Exactly what I came here to find out, thank you.

drexlspivey 3y ago

Here's a thread on how bitcoin core generates entropy https://twitter.com/raw_avocado/status/1445024873382809604 https://twitter.com/raw_avocado/status/1445024873382809604

nullc 3y ago
that thread is a little confused: Particularly, 'The Dynamic and Static events are mixed in(mostly) by using "<<" Left Shift Bits. Because it's a binary operation, every digit is a power of 2, so shifting the bit n positions ends up multiplying by 2^n. This adds further confusion when multiple numbers are used at once.' --- the tweet appears to be confusing C++ stream usage of "<<" with shifting (and as a result makes it sound like the code is doing something idiotic). Here is how it works: Lots of potential entropy sources including the essential good ones (as well as junk ones like timestamps and user/host info) are fed into a cryptographic hash then strengthened with iterated hashing. The junk sources are included as a hail mary so the user might have some chance to move their funds if they learn about vulnerabilities in their OS/hardware RNGs before an attacker can brute force out the weak sources.
- alexwaltz 3y ago
  OMG, i'm a bit star struck seeing you reply to this. Been reading you posts on btctalk for years :D Sorry about that, my bad, I though i understand how that works, when I was exploring this topic i literally asked everyone i know and no one seemed to have any idea, and then when i felt i got a conclusion i was happy i found some explanation. Anyway that just an excuse at the end of the day. I have added to the thread a screenshoot of your reply and link to this conversation. https://twitter.com/raw_avocado/status/1689317198626422784 https://twitter.com/raw_avocado/status/1689317198626422784 Thanks for clarifying that.
  - nullc 3y ago
    No need for excuses. The fact that people didn't already get this stuff well enough to correct you on the spot suggests that there is a need for more explanation!

WraithM 3y ago

libbitcoin isn't a company. It's an alternative C++ implementation (https://github.com/libbitcoin https://github.com/libbitcoin) to the Bitcoin Core (https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin) implementation. Bitcoin Core is the one originally from Satoshi. Libbitcoin came in like 2011 or so iirc and was led by Amir Taaki. Libbitcoin is a lot less popular than Bitcoin Core, as you can see on the github stats.

usr1106 3y ago
Last release 2019, master branch marked as non-functional. Doesn't seem to be very active. Their homepage https://libbitcoin.info/ https://libbitcoin.info/ looks polished, but no signs of recent life. This vulnerability seems unmentioned. Well, they claim it's not a vulnerability but a demo implementation that should not be used to store anything of value. But there is no prominent note about that and some users did exactly that.