pbear2k23

>This appears to be a description of a theoretical attack

not theoretical https://github.com/dogecoin/dogecoin/issues/3243 - i've attacked several of my own nodes. anyone could launch a botnet against the actual network

>to cause a specific target networked Bitcoin node to consume quite a bit of bandwidth by returning blockchain data to the attacker.

correct

>It doesn't seem like this would have any effect on the Bitcoin network at large

until a botnet or botnets make huge swaths of the mining network unprofitable https://bitnodes.io/nodes/#networks-tab

>While I don't doubt that there exists an obscure client vulnerability that could be patched, it seems far-fetched and alarmist to categorise this as a "bitcoin exploit".

it meets all of the criteria to be called, bluntly, a remote financial attack/exploit that much of the network is vulnerable to

in a way that isn't sensibly rate limited and can cost thousands in upstream overage fees - which is why dogecoin is preparing a fix..

here's the github issue https://github.com/dogecoin/dogecoin/issues/3243

the gist of it is that i can force dogecoin/bitcoin/etc. nodes into uploading unlimited data to an attacking machine - which caps out, throttles and in many cases charges overuse fees on upstream. also - dogecoin is going to have to push out a new release for the first time in 2 years because of it (i would imagine)

python attack code: https://pastebin.com/raw/3epCXtne - feel free to sync your own dogecoin nodes, perform and review the results of the attack

i actually found this bug - so if any of you fellas want to talk technical that's coo