Bitcoin Core, the foundational software that powers Bitcoin, has completed its first public third-party audit. According to a blog post, the four-month audit, done by the cybersecurity firm Quarkslab, found no critical, high, or medium-level security issues. This shows that Bitcoin Core’s code is strong and has a long history of security and reliability.
No Critical Security Issues Were Found
Notably, Brink, a nonprofit organization that supports Bitcoin developers, financed the audit. Additionally, the Open Source Technology Improvement Fund (OSTIF) coordinated the audit and focused on open-source security assessment. This partnership also included respected organizations in open-source security to ensure a thorough and fair evaluation of Bitcoin Core.
Quarkslab’s assessment used two main methods: static analysis and dynamic testing. Static analysis involves a detailed review of the source code, architecture, and logic. Dynamic testing looks at how the software works in real-time. This combination gave a clear understanding of the system’s security and revealed both known issues and some not previously identified.
Beyond finding vulnerabilities, the audit also provided new testing tools and improvements to the existing systems. It enhanced fuzzing capabilities, which are used to test Bitcoin Core under different unpredictable conditions.
Quarkslab also evaluated current testing methods and suggested new ways to strengthen Bitcoin Core’s security. Completing this audit is an important step for Bitcoin’s open-source community.
Details on Core vs Knots Debate
In recent months, the Bitcoin Core versus Bitcoin Knots topic has been the talk of the town for the developer community.
The debate centers on whether Bitcoin should process only financial transactions or allow a broader set of data to be permanently stored on-chain. Controversy restarted after the release of Bitcoin Core v30.
Critics argue that the update could allow a surge of non-financial activity, which many in the community call “spam,” to clog the network. Supporters of the Knots implementation believe this content should be filtered to prevent illegal or unethical material from being embedded into the blockchain.
However, core developers argue that such restrictions would fragment the network and confuse users. The latest findings hint that large capital allocators mostly view the debate as irrelevant to Bitcoin’s long-term growth trajectory.
Bitcoin Core Upgrade Comes With Lots of Features
Last year, the Bitcoin development team launched Bitcoin Core 28.0. This update introduced several enhancements and bug fixes to enhance the functionality and security of the Bitcoin network.
One of the major highlights of this release is the focus on security improvements. It also includes several bug fixes that will enhance the protocol’s resistance to potential vulnerabilities.
It is also worth noting that Bitcoin Core 28.0 supports reproducible builds. This means experienced users can independently compile binaries identical to those distributed through the official Bitcoin Core website.