Bitcoin Core 31.1 Addresses Critical Privacy Vulnerability

Bitcoin developers released version 31.1 of Bitcoin Core on July 9, 2026, which addresses a critical privacy vulnerability that could expose node operators' IP addresses. The update fixes an IP address leak associated with the -privatebroadcast feature, ensuring that users can maintain anonymity while operating nodes. Additionally, the release resolves a database engine flaw causing excessive disk operations, which was straining hardware. Node operators are advised to update their systems promptly to benefit from these security enhancements. Users must shut down their active nodes before installing the new binaries to apply the updates effectively.

Key Points: • Bitcoin Core version 31.1 released to fix a critical IP address leakage vulnerability. • The update ensures node operators can remain anonymous without exposing their clearnet IP addresses. • Users must shut down their nodes before installing the update to apply security and performance improvements.