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Low 34 Bitcoin

chore(crypto): replace `int` by `size_t` for nonnegative parameters

Public commit record

What the developer wrote

Authored by M1nd3r

77/100 · Adequate
chore(crypto): replace `int` by `size_t` for nonnegative parameters

Assisted-by: Claude, Opus 5

[no changelog]
✓ Specific, descriptive subject✓ Names a concrete action or component✓ Uses a recognizable type or scope✓ Provides an explanatory body
The short version

What changed, and why it matters

This commit is a code-quality cleanup that changes many function parameters from signed integers (`int`) to unsigned size types (`size_t`) where only non-negative lengths or sizes make sense. It also removes some now-unnecessary negative-value checks and adjusts callers/tests accordingly. The change is defensive: using `size_t` prevents accidental negative lengths from being interpreted as huge positive values, which can cause memory corruption or information leaks. The commit itself does not claim to fix a specific vulnerability, and no external security advisory is supplied.

Recommended action

Treat as a hardening/refactoring change rather than an urgent security fix. Review that all callers now pass `size_t`-compatible values and that no implicit sign conversions remain at call boundaries, especially in legacy firmware and MicroPython bindings. Run the existing crypto test suite and fuzzer to confirm no regressions. Monitor vendor release notes for any later security framing of this cleanup.

Security signals we found

01

Defensive type narrowing from signed `int` to unsigned `size_t` for buffer lengths and sizes

02

Removal of negative-length checks that become logically unnecessary with `size_t`

03

Assertion added in `bn_format` to guard pointer/length arithmetic

04

Potential behavior change in error checks: `written <= 0`/`binary_mnemonics_len <= 0` changed to `== 0`, which is equivalent for valid `size_t` values but removes the negative branch

05

No explicit security claim, CVE, or advisory referenced in commit or supplied materials

Risk score

Why this scored 34/100

Our methodology →
Potential impact 5/30
Exploitability 5/25
Stealth signal 5/15
Affected reach 10/15
Confidence 6/10
Evidence quality 3/5
Human-validated context

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