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Low 47 Bitcoin

bip32: reject master key with non-zero child/fingerprint

Public commit record

What the developer wrote

Authored by ekzyis

50/100 · Thin
bip32: reject master key with non-zero child/fingerprint
✓ Specific, descriptive subject✓ Names a concrete action or component! No meaningful explanatory body
The short version

What changed, and why it matters

This commit tightens validation of Bitcoin wallet master keys. Under the BIP32 standard, a master key must have zero values for its 'child number' and 'parent fingerprint' fields. The change makes Electrum reject extended keys that violate this rule, preventing malformed or intentionally crafted master keys from being accepted. This is a defensive correctness fix rather than an active exploit patch.

Recommended action

Review whether other BIP32 deserialization paths or wallet import flows bypass from_xkey() and may need the same validation. Consider whether invalid master keys already accepted in existing wallets need migration handling.

Security signals we found

01

Input validation hardening for cryptographic key deserialization

02

Enforcement of BIP32 standard constraints on master key serialization

03

Use of known BIP32 test vectors (including test vector 5) for negative test cases

04

Potential defense against key confusion or fingerprint/child manipulation attacks

Risk score

Why this scored 47/100

Our methodology →
Potential impact 12/30
Exploitability 8/25
Stealth signal 6/15
Affected reach 10/15
Confidence 7/10
Evidence quality 4/5
Human-validated context

Community notes

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