Bitcoin, originally designed as both a digital store of value and modern payments network, has long struggled to compete with fast-moving commercial payment channels.
Projects like the bitcoin lightning network, aiming to speed up low value bitcoin transactions by moving them off the bitcoin blockchain, are growing in popularity—with the number of lightning network access points up 33% over the last year.
As the lightning network grows, it is becoming a more attractive target for attackers, and researchers have warned bitcoin on the burgeoning payment network could be stolen if users aren't careful—and it might be impossible to ever guarantee the safety of funds.
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Bitcoin that's currently "locked in" the lightning network payments channel, currently around $9 million of bitcoin tokens, could be "looted" by attackers, researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have warned. While the vulnerability is potentially dangerous, it should also be solvable.