CVE-2021-31876

MEDIUM

Bitcoin Core 0.12.0-0.21.1 - Denial of Service via BIP125 Replacement Policy Bypass

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

Bitcoin Core 0.12.0 through 0.21.1 does not properly implement the replacement policy specified in BIP125, which makes it easier for attackers to trigger a loss of funds, or a denial of service attack against downstream projects such as Lightning network nodes. An unconfirmed child transaction with nSequence = 0xff_ff_ff_ff, spending an unconfirmed parent with nSequence <= 0xff_ff_ff_fd, should be replaceable because there is inherited signaling by the child transaction. However, the actual PreChecks implementation does not enforce this. Instead, mempool rejects the replacement attempt of the unconfirmed child transaction.

References (5)

Core 5
Core References
Vendor Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://bitcoinops.org/en/topics/replace-by-fee/
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2021-May/018893.html
Vendor Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://bitcoinops.org/en/newsletters/2021/05/12/

Scores

CVSS v3 6.5
EPSS 0.0161
EPSS Percentile 72.9%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L

Details

CWE
CWE-863
Status published
Products (1)
bitcoin/bitcoin 0.12.0 - 0.21.1
Published May 13, 2021
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026