Bitcoin Core has released its first candidate version 32.0, improving fee estimation and block validation, with a stable release due on October 10.
The Bitcoin Core team has announced the first release candidate for version 32.0, designated v32.0rc1, with a stable version expected on October 10. This update will introduce enhancements to the fee estimation process, improve block validation speed, and address a specific vulnerability related to wallet notifications.
One of the significant changes in this release is the modification of the fee estimation method. The new version will utilize a mempool-based algorithm, in addition to the existing block_policy estimator, to provide more accurate fee recommendations based on current network conditions. Users can choose which algorithm to use, but the system will default to the lower of the two estimates.
Improvements to Block Validation and Transaction Processing
To enhance block validation efficiency, developers have implemented a parallel pre-fetching feature that allows the system to utilize multiple threads when retrieving necessary data from disk. This change is particularly beneficial for speeding up validation when data is not already in RAM.
Moreover, partially signed Bitcoin transactions (PSBT) will now default to version 2 for commands such as createpsbt and walletcreatepsbt, though users can opt for a different version if necessary.
Security Vulnerabilities Addressed
Bitcoin Core 32.0 also resolves a vulnerability that has existed since version 24.0, which affected non-Windows users utilizing the -walletnotify parameter. This flaw could allow an authenticated RPC user to execute unintended commands if specific conditions were met. Developers have corrected the underlying issue to ensure the wallet name is processed correctly, thereby mitigating the risk.
Additionally, a new security fix for the HTTP server was introduced. This fix prevents excessive memory consumption by limiting the volume of incoming data while a request is being processed, requiring an authenticated client for potential exploitation.
Lastly, the upcoming version will significantly reduce the disk space required for the transaction index by more than half after a complete rebuild, although existing indexes will remain compatible with the new release.
