Bitcoin Cash exploit cripples network during scheduled hardfork upgrade

A bug was reportedly exploited on Bitcoin Cash during a scheduled hardfork upgrade of the protocol. For an hour and a half transactions went unprocessed, causing fees to skyrocket. A source familiar with the project says the exploit “looks like a timed attack,” while other rumors are circulating that the “attacker” placed a 180,000 BCH short on Bitfinex and used the exploit to influence the price.

At 14:49 UTC, a bug was exploited on one version of the Bitcoin Cash client amidst the protocol’s semi-annual hardfork upgrade, according to BitMEX Research. Multiple sources suggest the bug was orchestrated by an attacker.

The bug reportedly caused empty blocks to be included on the Bitcoin Cash blockchain, causing fees to skyrocket as users upped their paid fees in an attempt to include their transactions. At its peak, some transaction fees were over 250 times the median; the network was crippled for an hour and a half.

BitMEX reported that there was a “non consensus re-org,” which is when one consecutive series of blocks replaces a previously valid series on a blockchain. The research group also observed a “chainsplit” of the network as the blockchain jumped from block number 582,682 to 582,695.

There are rumors that the attacker(s) behind the exploit “borrowed 180,000 BCH to try and short” the coin on Bitfinex. An unverified source suggested the exploit was meant to push the price downward in an attempt to profit.

Another source stated they had found a way to identify and locate the attacker’s wallet addresses used in the exploit. Allegedly, the Samaritan found a way to burn 1.2 BCH of the attacker’s funds in transaction fees.

At 16:26 UTC normal operation of the network resumed and pending transactions were successfully processed by miners

Bitcoin Cash Market Data

At the time of press 2:28 am UTC on Nov. 7, 2019, Bitcoin Cash is ranked #4 by market cap and the price is up 3.68% over the past 24 hours. Bitcoin Cash has a market capitalization of $7.16 billion with a 24-hour trading volume of $3.37 billion. Learn more about Bitcoin Cash ›

Bitcoin Cash

2:28 am UTC on Nov. 7, 2019

$402.36

3.68%

Crypto Market Summary

At the time of press 2:28 am UTC on Nov. 7, 2019, the total crypto market is valued at at $255.09 billion with a 24-hour volume of $95.16 billion. Bitcoin dominance is currently at 56.68%. Learn more about the crypto market ›

Mentioned in this article

Bitcoin Cash

Ad

aelf Introduces aevatar Intelligence: No-Code, No Limits for AI Agents

Ad

CryptoSlate on Substack cryptoslate.substack.com

Must-read crypto news & insights. Delivered daily.

Join 90k+ subscribers

Latest Bitcoin Cash Stories

Are Bitcoin forks advancing progress or threatening stability?

Opinion 4 weeks ago

Bitcoin hard forks struggle to balance decentralization and scalability while addressing rising transaction fees.

Bitstamp confirms receipt of Mt.Gox assets, reimbursements begin July 25

Exchanges 5 months ago

The development marks a significant milestone in a decade-long effort to reimburse those affected by the infamous 2014 hack that led to Mt. Gox's collapse.

Bitcoin Cash hash rate hits yearly peak as Phoenix dominates 90% of the network

Mining 6 months ago

Bitcoin Cash's BCH token price has slumped to a four-month low amid the broader crypto market struggles.

Bitcoin’s crash to $64k causes meltdown for alts

Crypto 8 months ago

The decline mirrored a broader selloff across asset classes amid heightened global economic uncertainties and geopolitical risks.

Latest Press Releases

View All

Oversubscribed DAO Maker Round Sets Stage for Nexade’s Gate.io Debut and Token Launch

Press Release 2 days ago

Gud Tech, Zircuit’s First AI Fair Launch, Surpasses $9M in Staking Value

Chainwire 2 days ago

Binance Futures Launches CGPT/USDT Perpetual Contracts

Chainwire 2 days ago