[BUG FIX] Consensus: hardcoded year, missing block validation, memory leak (3 bugs, Medium-High severity)#1824
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…y leak Bug 1: CURRENT_YEAR hardcoded to 2025, breaks all Antiquity Score calculations in 2026+. Now uses datetime.now().year dynamically. Bug 2: validate_block() never verifies merkle_root or block hash, allowing blocks with tampered miner data or forged hashes to pass validation. Added merkle root and hash integrity checks. Bug 3: known_hardware dict never cleared between blocks, causing unbounded memory growth and preventing hardware from mining in subsequent blocks after its first submission. Ref: Scottcjn#305 (Bug Report Bounty)
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Bug Report & Fix — Ref #305
Bug 1: CURRENT_YEAR hardcoded to 2025 (Medium)
File:
rips/rustchain-core/config/chain_params.pyImpact: All Antiquity Score calculations are wrong in 2026+. A 1992 CPU gets AS based on 33-year age instead of correct 34. Every miner's score is off by ~3%, affecting reward distribution.
Fix: Replace hardcoded
2025withdatetime.now(timezone.utc).year.Bug 2: validate_block() skips merkle_root and hash verification (High)
File:
rips/rustchain-core/consensus/poa.pyImpact: Blocks with tampered miner data (fake rewards, fake wallets) pass validation because merkle_root and block hash are never checked. An attacker could submit a block claiming higher rewards for their wallet.
Fix: Added merkle root recalculation check and block hash integrity verification.
Bug 3: known_hardware memory leak (Medium)
File:
rips/rustchain-core/consensus/poa.pyImpact:
known_hardwaredict is never cleared between blocks. After N blocks, it holds every hardware hash ever seen. Worse: hardware that mined in block N is permanently blocked from mining in block N+1 (duplicate hardware check always triggers for returning miners).Fix: Clear
known_hardwarein_reset_block().Steps to Reproduce
print(CURRENT_YEAR)→ outputs 2025 in 2026miners[0].reward, callvalidate_block()→ returns Truesubmit_proof()for miner A in block 1, callproduce_block(), thensubmit_proof()for miner A in block 2 → rejected as duplicateRTC Wallet:
0x0(will update)— grim-cod-29