Mysterious Entity May Be Collecting Bitcoin Users’ IP Addresses, Warns Developer

Mysterious Entity May Be Collecting Bitcoin Users’ IP Addresses, Warns Developer

Reported Cointelegraph, a mysterious entity may be collecting the IP addresses of Bitcoin users and linking them to their BTC addresses, potentially violating their privacy, according to a blog post by Bitcoin app developer 0xB10C. The entity has reportedly been active since March 2018 and has used a range of 812 different IP addresses to obscure its identity while collecting data.

0xB10C, the developer of several Bitcoin analytics websites, including Mempool.observer and Transactionfee.info, refers to the entity as “LinkingLion” because its IP addresses pass through LionLink network's colocation data centre.

The entity opens connections with Bitcoin full nodes that are visible on the network and asks the node which version of the Bitcoin software it is using. About 85% of the time, the entity closes its connection without responding. However, 0xB10C states that the entity behaves differently in 15% of cases, either listening for inventory messages that contain transactions or sending a request for an address and listening for both inventory and address messages. It then closes the connection within 10 minutes.

The behaviour indicates that the entity may be recording the timing of transactions to determine which node first received a transaction. This information can then be used to determine the IP address associated with a particular Bitcoin address. According to 0xB10C, the entity can use that information to link broadcast transactions to IP addresses.

To help protect the community from this privacy threat, 0xB10C has produced an open-source ban list that nodes can use to ban LinkingLion from connecting to them. However, the entity could circumvent this ban list by changing the IP addresses it uses to connect. In 0xB10C’s view, the only permanent solution to the problem is to change the transaction logic within Bitcoin Core, which developers have so far been unable to do.

 

TokenInsight is dedicated to covering the most important and cutting-edge trends in the world of crypto. If you have information to share with us, please feel free to contact our email news@tokeninsight.com. Your trust will be well respected.

Source

Bitcoin

Privacy

In This Article

Related News
Ark Invest raises 2030 bull-case bitcoin price projection to $2.4 million on 'aggressive' modeling Ark Invest raises 2030 bull-case bitcoin price projection to $2.4 million on 'aggressive' modeling
pot bitcoin ETFs see $936 million inflows as 'safe haven' narrative strengthens pot bitcoin ETFs see $936 million inflows as 'safe haven' narrative strengthens
0xbow unveils ‘Privacy Pools,’ a new blockchain privacy tool drawing from Vitalik Buterin’s research 0xbow unveils ‘Privacy Pools,’ a new blockchain privacy tool drawing from Vitalik Buterin’s research
BlackRock launches bitcoin ETP in Europe following US success BlackRock launches bitcoin ETP in Europe following US success
Bitfarms completes Stronghold Digital acquisition, sells Paraguay facility to HIVE in US push Bitfarms completes Stronghold Digital acquisition, sells Paraguay facility to HIVE in US push
Latest News More More
19 Hours Ago Circle secures in-principle approval to operate as money services provider in Abu Dhabi
19 Hours Ago Mastercard moves to integrate stablecoins into global payments network
1 Day Ago Bitget will legally pursue 8 accounts suspected of profiting $20 million from VOXEL trading manipulation
1 Day Ago Term Finance recovers $1 million of $1.6 million loss to oracle configuration error
4 Days Ago Citigroup predicts stablecoin supply could hit $3.7 trillion by 2030
delate
Use TokenInsight App All Crypto Insights Are In Your Hands
Open