CVE-2024-52920: Bitcoin Core · Unthrottled Resource Allocation
Source CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.5 High · fixed in 0.20.0 : patch affected systems soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 50% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 0.20.0
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 18 Nov 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
- Upgrade Bitcoin Core nodes to version 0.20.0 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed.
- If immediate upgrade is not possible, implement network-level filtering to detect and block malformed GETDATA messages that do not conform to protocol specifications.
- Employ rate limiting on incoming GETDATA requests to prevent resource exhaustion from excessive or malformed messages.
- Monitor node logs and network traffic for unusual patterns or repeated malformed GETDATA messages indicative of exploitation attempts.
- Use intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with signatures tailored to detect this specific malformed message attack.
- Maintain regular backups and ensure node redundancy to minimize service disruption if a node becomes unresponsive.
- Participate in Bitcoin community security advisories to stay informed about patches and emerging threats related to Bitcoin Core.
Description
Bitcoin Core before 0.20.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a malformed GETDATA message.