In a shocking turn of events, a major security flaw in the Dogecoin network has been exploited by a hacker, causing 69% of Dogecoin’s nodes to crash. The vulnerability, known as DogeReaper, could have potentially brought down the entire network.

What Happened?

On Dec. 12, Andreas Kohl, co-founder of Bitcoin sidechain Sequentia, claimed responsibility for crashing 69% of Dogecoin’s active nodes using a vulnerability discovered by security researcher Tobias Ruck. Kohl reportedly used an old laptop in El Salvador to execute the attack.

• Before the Attack: Dogecoin had 647 active nodes.

• After the Attack: Dogecoin was left with just 315 active nodes, a massive reduction in network activity.

What Is the DogeReaper Vulnerability?

The vulnerability, described as functioning like a “Death Note” (from the popular anime series), allows attackers to remotely crash Dogecoin nodes. The attack works by causing a segmentation fault, which stops the affected node from functioning by trying to access unauthorized memory.

• Segmentation Fault: This occurs when a program attempts to access memory it is not authorized to use, causing the operating system to halt the program, effectively causing a crash.

The Potential Impact

The flaw could have been disastrous. If exploited by a malicious actor, it could have caused the entire Dogecoin network to crash for days, halting all transactions and blocking activity. The vulnerability was serious enough to be compared to a “Death Note” for Dogecoin nodes.

Response and Severity

Despite the potential severity of the flaw, Coinbase deemed it low-risk and awarded researcher Tobias Ruck a $200 reward for discovering it. The crypto community has been left shaken by the incident, which highlights the vulnerabilities that even the most prominent cryptocurrencies can face.

What’s Next for Dogecoin?

While the DogeReaper vulnerability didn’t bring the network down entirely, the incident has raised concerns about the overall security of the Dogecoin network. Dogecoin’s developers will likely need to address this vulnerability quickly to prevent further issues.

This breach serves as a reminder of the importance of securing blockchain networks. If exploited by malicious actors, such vulnerabilities could have far-reaching consequences for the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

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