Bitcoin, Explained — The Technical Side of Bitcoin

Aaron and Sjors discuss the COLDCARD hack: the bug itself, how it could have happened, and some reflections on having had Coinkite as a sponsor.Note: If you're using a COLDCARD and still haven't moved your funds to a secure location, do this as soon as possible. (Also listen to the previous emergency broadcast.)Further reading:https://wizardsardine.com/blog/coldcard-rng-vulnerability/https://engineering.block.xyz/blog/predictable-rng-fallback-and-32-bit-reseed-in-coldcard-firmwareAaron’s Nostr: npub1art8cs66ffvnqns5zs5qa9fwlctmusj5lj38j94lv0ulw0j54wjqhpm0w5⁠Sjors’ Nostr: npub1v25jqj332n630klwtqeqxgyrjl4alw4phmluhu2x6lcxzwy9m03suqexw3If you’d like to sponsor the show, please email info at bitcoinexplainedpodcast.com.https://bitcoinexplainedpodcast.com/

More information:https://blog.coinkite.com/coldcard-mk3-seed-generation-warning/https://blog.coinkite.com/entropy-technical-backgrounder/

Aaron and Sjors discuss what's new in Bitcoin Core 31.This episode’s sponsor: CoinKite, maker of the COLDCARD.Aaron’s Nostr: ⁠npub1art8cs66ffvnqns5zs5qa9fwlctmusj5lj38j94lv0ulw0j54wjqhpm0w5⁠Sjors’ Nostr: npub1v25jqj332n630klwtqeqxgyrjl4alw4phmluhu2x6lcxzwy9m03suqexw3

Aaron and Sjors discuss what's new in Bitcoin Core v30This episode’s sponsor: CoinKite, maker of the COLDCARD.Aaron’s Nostr: ⁠npub1art8cs66ffvnqns5zs5qa9fwlctmusj5lj38j94lv0ulw0j54wjqhpm0w5⁠Sjors’ Nostr: npub1v25jqj332n630klwtqeqxgyrjl4alw4phmluhu2x6lcxzwy9m03suqexw3

Aaron and Sjors dive into the proposal of removing the OP_RETURN limit in Bitcoin Core, exploring its implications for transaction management. The hosts humorously link life’s annoyances, like smoke alarms, to Bitcoin's technical aspects. They examine the evolution of OP_RETURN, the challenges of data storage on the blockchain, and how recent protocol changes impact decentralization. The discussion also touches on the philosophical debate of governance in Bitcoin, revealing the ongoing negotiation between innovation and established practices.

Aaron and Sjors talk about the new Bitcoin Core 29.0 release..===This episode’s sponsor: CoinKite, maker of the COLDCARD.Aaron’s Nostr: ⁠npub1art8cs66ffvnqns5zs5qa9fwlctmusj5lj38j94lv0ulw0j54wjqhpm0w5⁠Sjors’ Nostr: ⁠nprofile1qyvhwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnnwpex7an0daehgtnwdshsqgyxsh477ejn8rwkjv0zen0ncxwe7rj6zpnujx8j9ecgrsj43786lqyul0f2

Discover the latest innovations aimed at decentralizing Bitcoin mining, including the Stratum V2 and DATUM protocols. The discussion highlights the open-source Bitaxe miner and explores emerging decentralized mining pool models like P2Pool. Delve into the implications of mining centralization and the importance of censorship resistance. Listen as the hosts analyze the technical aspects of decentralized systems and share insights on fostering a healthier mining landscape amidst regulatory challenges.

In Bitcoin, Explained 95, Aaron and Sjors discuss the new Bitcoin Core 28.0 release. Specifically, they cover upgrades to Bitcoin’s testnet (testnet 4), new mempool policies, full RBF integration, the introduction of assume UTXO, improved wallet migration support and the implementation of block file XOR.Bitcoin Core download page: https://bitcoincore.org/en/download/Release notes: https://bitcoincore.org/en/releases/28.0/This episode’s sponsor: Coinkite, maker of the COLDCARD.Aaron’s Twitter: @AaronvanWAaron’s Nostr: npub1art8cs66ffvnqns5zs5qa9fwlctmusj5lj38j94lv0ulw0j54wjqhpm0w5Sjors’ Nostr: nprofile1qyvhwumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnnwpex7an0daehgtnwdshsqgyxsh477ejn8rwkjv0zen0ncxwe7rj6zpnujx8j9ecgrsj43786lqyul0f2

Ruben Somsen, a developer behind the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal for Silent Payments, joins Josie, a privacy enthusiast, to dive deep into BIP 352. They discuss how Silent Payments enhance user privacy by allowing the creation of temporary addresses for transactions. The conversation touches on the implementation details for light clients, compatibility with CoinJoin, and the advantages of using blind Diffie-Hellman protocols. They also emphasize the importance of innovation and collaboration in ensuring secure and efficient cryptocurrency transactions.

Discussing the Great Consensus Cleanup Revival proposal to fix Bitcoin protocol bugs. Updates on Tornado Cash and Samourai Wallet arrests. Emphasis on legal implications of non-custodial systems and addressing slow block validation in the network.