Bitcoin Core 32 Enters Final Testing With Faster Validation, Security Fixes

BitBox, the hardware-wallet brand of Zurich-based Shift Crypto, builds BitBox02 devices to keep private keys offline and require transaction details to be verified on the device. That design reduces exposure to a compromised computer, but firmware flaws can reopen the attack surface by allowing malicious code or misdirecting payments. The disclosure is significant because self-custody users bear the loss directly if their signing device is compromised.

On Aug. 17, 2026, BitBox released its Dixence update, raising firmware to version 9.26.5. It fixed a memory-corruption flaw affecting uninitialized Multi-edition devices connected to a malicious host, which could permit arbitrary code execution and malicious firmware installation, and a Silent Payments bug that could lock bitcoin to an unintended address. BitBox said the issues emerged from internal audits that included frontier AI models, with no reports of exploitation or stolen funds. Devices running version 9.26.5 or later are not affected, and the company urged all users to upgrade through the official BitBoxApp.

Bitcoin Core is the most widely used node software on the Bitcoin network and validates blocks and transactions. CVE-2024-52911 is the project’s first disclosed memory-safety vulnerability. A malicious miner could craft a special block that causes nodes to crash or even allows remote code execution, threatening network stability and the security of node operations.

Bitcoin Core included a fix in version 29.0, released in April 2025, but about 43% of nodes were still running unpatched versions when the vulnerability was disclosed. Exploitation requires a miner to produce a specially crafted block, making an attack difficult. Nodes that have not been upgraded nevertheless face the potential risk of service disruption or system takeover.