Description
Bitcoin nodes use a peer-to-peer (P2P) network to announce and learn about transactions andblocks. However, the Bitcoin network's reliance on plaintext TCP connections introduces significant vulnerabilities. Our study indicates that the existing mechanism for penalizing misbehavior is not comprehensive or equitable. Additionally, it is ineffective against Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks that exploit system weaknesses, and it can also be leveraged for Slander attacks that wrongfully harm innocent nodes. The experiment demonstrates that Bitcoin-Message-based-DoS (BitMsg-DoS) attacks pose a considerable threat, impacting the security and performance of nodes within the network. Mining nodes, crucial for transaction validation and block creation, and non-mining nodes, vital for ledger propagation and verification, are adversely affected by these attacks. Our findings emphasize these vulnerabilities and show how the mechanism can be manipulated to compromise the network's operational integrity, making a significant contribution to the field. The research underscores the inadequacy of current defense mechanisms against complex and novel attack strategies, highlighting the urgent need for the continuous evolution of network security protocols to ensure the reliability of the Bitcoin network.
| Period | 20 Jun 2023 → 20 Dec 2023 |
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