Electrum Bitcoin wallet flaw exploited via Replace-by-Fee drains user funds
Technology
A major security flaw in the Electrum Bitcoin wallet has let hackers drain users' funds by exploiting the Replace-by-Fee feature and tricking people into signing off on fake transactions.
Developers confirmed the issue on October 24, 2026, after two October reports, including one theft.
Electrum releases 4.8.3 security patch
The bug happened because Electrum trusted outside servers without checking their authenticity, giving attackers an easy way in.
After a theft was reported earlier this month, Electrum quickly released version 4.8.3 with new security checks to block these scams.
Developers are urging everyone to update their wallets as soon as possible and double-check all transaction details before hitting confirm, just to be safe.