CVE-2023-50428
CVE-2023-50428 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Bitcoin Bitcoin Core with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.
Key facts
- Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.3)
- EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (51st percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- Affected product: Bitcoin Bitcoin Core
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
In Bitcoin Core through 26.0 and Bitcoin Knots before 25.1.knots20231115, datacarrier size limits can be bypassed by obfuscating data as code (e.g., with OP_FALSE OP_IF), as exploited in the wild by Inscriptions in 2022 and 2023. NOTE: although this is a vulnerability from the perspective of the Bitcoin Knots project, some others consider it "not a bug."
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2023-50428?
- In Bitcoin Core through 26.0 and Bitcoin Knots before 25.1.knots20231115, datacarrier size limits can be bypassed by obfuscating data as code (e.g., with OP_FALSE OP_IF), as exploited in the wild by Inscriptions in 2022 and 2023. NOTE: although this is a vulnerability from the perspective of the Bitcoin Knots project, some others consider it "not a bug."
- How severe is CVE-2023-50428?
- CVE-2023-50428 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability low.
- Is CVE-2023-50428 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (51st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- What products are affected by CVE-2023-50428?
- CVE-2023-50428 primarily affects Bitcoin Bitcoin Core. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2023-50428?
- Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
- When was CVE-2023-50428 published?
- CVE-2023-50428 was published on 2023-12-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
- https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Common_Vulnerabilities_and_Exposures
- https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/65c05db660b2ca1d0076b0d8573a6760b3228068/src/kernel/mempool_options.h#L46-L53
- https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/pull/28408#issuecomment-1844981799
- https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/tags
- https://github.com/bitcoinknots/bitcoin/blob/aed49ce8989334c364a219a6eb016a3897d4e3d7/doc/release-notes.md
- https://twitter.com/LukeDashjr/status/1732204937466032285
Affected products (2)
- cpe:2.3:a:bitcoin:bitcoin_core:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:bitcoinknots:bitcoin_knots:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
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