By Mark Ackman
Someone Collecting Bitcoin Addresses
A rumor has surfaced which has sent shivers across the global Bitcoin community.
Rumor claims that someone, an individual, or perhaps a whole organization, is tracking IP addresses through which Bitcoin users access their accounts.
The rumor further suggested that IP addresses have been collected for linking them either with unidentified entities’ Bitcoin addresses or others.
If the rumor is true, then evidently Bitcoin users’ privacy is being infringed without their knowledge. The source of the rumor is ‘OXB10C’, which is in fact an app developer dedicated to Bitcoin.
It has been further rumored that the unidentified entity has been actively collecting and tracking Bitcoin users’ IP addresses since 2018.
If it is true then this is very shocking because, for the past five years, this entity has been collecting data.
Information About the Mysterious Entity Provided By OXB10C
OXB10C is accredited to have developed multiple websites which are being used for making fundamental and technical analyses of Bitcoins.
One such widely used website is ‘Mempool.observer’ which has been designed and established by OXB10C.
According to OXB10C, the entity, which has been breaching the users’ privacy goes by the name “LinkingLion”.
It has been told by OXB10C that IP addresses, which are linked with the LinkingLion network, go through another network called ‘LionLink”.
On the other hand, LionLink is the main data collection center that exclusively collects IP data about Bitcoin users only.
OXB10C has indicated that LinkingLion is trying to develop a method. The method, as has been explained by OXB10C, is one which can give LinkingLion access to a particular node and then link that node with a certain IP address.
Though the method doesn’t seem harmful considering LinkingLion is spending a considerable amount of time on delinking, exploitation risk cannot be ignored.
According to OXB10C LinkingLion spends approximately 10 minutes within which the network awaits for putting down the connection. It is hence, this timeframe i.e. 10-minute open window, which can be extremely harmful.
OXB10C explains that this process indicates that there is a Bitcoin user who is attempting to update his or her blockchain data.
On the contrary, the network of LinkingLion usually does not demand blocks or transactions. In case the network raises such a demand, then it may be conducting the process for an unauthorized purpose.
OXB10C Gives A Workable Solution
OXB10C has suggested that LinkingLion may or may not be trying to find out in which particular node the transaction has landed.
However, the information collected during the process may lead to an IP address that is directly linked to a certain Bitcoin address.
OXB10C explained that active connections (even after the completion of transactions) can determine what is lying in the node or its inventory.
For instance, somebody can get hold of the actual data about Bitcoin transactions as well as blocks.
For countering such a potential threat, OXB10C has devised a scheme that contains a list of ‘banned connections’.
The nodes can implement the list for banning LinkingLion network connections for preventing them from connecting with nodes.
However, there is a chance that the unidentified entity can also bypass this list which can easily be done by swapping IP addresses.
From the OXB10C’s viewpoint, the only possible solution to the issue at hand is to modify the transaction method provided in Bitcoin Core.
However, there is also an issue with Bitcoin Core. The issue is that developers have not been able to modify this transaction method to date.
Why Type of Bitcoin Users Are Vulnerable
It has been explained by OXB10C that there is a selective class of Bitcoin users who are exposed to maximum risks. For instance, those users who are operating and managing nodes on their own are at high risk.
The story of this unidentified entity is still a developing story. Even Cointelegraph tried to contact OXB10C for getting answers to some questions, however, it could not get in touch with OXB10C.