CVE-2020-12119 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Ledger Live before 2.7.0 has a vulnerability related to Bitcoin's Replace-By-Fee (RBF) that exposes users to various attacks without their consent.

Understanding CVE-2020-12119

This CVE describes a flaw in Ledger Live that affects the handling of unconfirmed Bitcoin transactions, leading to potential security risks.

What is CVE-2020-12119?

CVE-2020-12119 highlights the issue in Ledger Live where user balances are not correctly adjusted for unconfirmed transactions, leaving users vulnerable to double spending and DoS attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2020-12119

The vulnerability allows for basic double spending attacks, amplified double spending attacks, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks without the user's approval, potentially resulting in financial losses and service disruptions.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-12119

Ledger Live's vulnerability can be further understood through the following technical aspects:

Vulnerability Description

Ledger Live fails to handle Bitcoin's Replace-By-Fee (RBF) properly, leading to incorrect balance adjustments for unconfirmed transactions.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Ledger Live
Versions: Before 2.7.0

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows malicious actors to exploit unconfirmed transactions to conduct double spending attacks and DoS attacks against Ledger Live users.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2020-12119 and enhance security, the following steps are recommended:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Ledger Live to version 2.7.0 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
Avoid relying solely on unconfirmed transactions for critical transactions.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and verify transactions to detect any unusual activity.
Educate users on the risks associated with unconfirmed transactions and the importance of transaction confirmations.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by Ledger Live.
Implement a proactive approach to applying patches promptly to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.