Bitcoin Core 32.0 update targets October 10 release

Bitcoin Core 32.0 entered release-candidate testing on Monday, with developers targeting an October 10 final release, according to Decrypt. The software allows users to independently verify Bitcoin transactions and blocks, and the update aims to speed up those checks while fixing security flaws.

According to draft release notes cited in the report, parallel reading of database information accelerates the verification of blocks, leaving the pace of Bitcoin’s block production unaffected. A newer format for exchanging partially signed transactions becomes the default for four wallet commands, though applications can still request the older version.

The release includes a security fix that stops maliciously named wallets from executing system commands on non-Windows nodes. A separate patch addresses excessive memory use in the software’s new HTTP server. Contributor Matthew Zipkin, posting as pinheadmz, described a “memory exhaustion scenario” in his patch proposal. After revision, the fix reduced memory growth from 3.2 GB to about 3 MB over 90 seconds from 16 unauthenticated connections, according to Decrypt. The patch was merged September 5 for Bitcoin Core 32.0.