Bitcoin Q&A: What is Segregated Witness?

What is Segregated Witness (SegWit)? How do you know you’re using SegWit? SegWit fixes transaction malleability and enables further upgrades towards Bitcoin smart contracts. Can transaction malleability lead to denial-of-service (DoS) attacks? Does SegWit put witness data in a different block? Did SegWit change transaction validation? versus? Are there any security risks of invalid blocks?

CORRECTION: At ~2:07, I stated the incorrect BIP number for the Bech32 address format, which should be BIP173. BIP176 is about "bits" denomination. https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0173.mediawiki

More on SegWit: https://bitcoincore.org/en/2016/01/26/segwit-benefits/

These questions are from the MOOC 9.3 and 9.5 sessions which took place on March 2nd and March 16th, 2018 respectively. Andreas is a teaching fellow with the University of Nicosia. The first course in their Master of Science in Digital Currency degree, DFIN-511: Introduction to Digital Currencies, is offered for free as an open enrollment MOOC course to anyone interested in learning about the fundamental principles.

If you want early-access to talks and a chance to participate in the monthly live Q&As with Andreas, become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/aantonop

RELATED:
The Lightning Network - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPQwGV1aLnTurL4wU_y3jOhBi9rrpsYyi
SegWit adoption - https://youtu.be/KCsTVTRk6I4
Advanced Bitcoin Scripting Part 1: Transactions and Multi-sig - https://youtu.be/8FeAXjkmDcQ
Advanced Bitcoin Scripting Part 2: SegWit, Consensus, and Trustware - https://youtu.be/pQbeBduVQ4I
How do I choose a wallet? - https://youtu.be/tN6b62sEpsY
Hot vs. cold wallets - https://youtu.be/Aji_E9sw0AE
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Hyperbitcoinization - https://youtu.be/AB5MU5fXKfo
Job opportunities with cryptocurrencies - https://youtu.be/89_p4pDlQtI
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What is the biggest adoption hurdle? - https://youtu.be/jHgyHF3F2TI

Andreas M. Antonopoulos is a technologist and serial entrepreneur who has become one of the most well-known and respected figures in bitcoin.

Follow on Twitter: @aantonop https://twitter.com/aantonop
Website: https://antonopoulos.com/

He is the author of two books: “Mastering Bitcoin,” published by O’Reilly Media and considered the best technical guide to bitcoin; “The Internet of Money,” a book about why bitcoin matters.

THE INTERNET OF MONEY, v1: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Internet-Money-collection-Andreas-Antonopoulos/dp/1537000454/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

[NEW] THE INTERNET OF MONEY, v2: https://www.amazon.com/Internet-Money-Andreas-M-Antonopoulos/dp/194791006X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

MASTERING BITCOIN: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mastering-Bitcoin-Unlocking-Digital-Cryptocurrencies/dp/1449374042

[NEW] MASTERING BITCOIN, 2nd Edition: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Bitcoin-Programming-Open-Blockchain/dp/1491954388

Subscribe to the channel to learn more about Bitcoin & open blockchains!

Music: "Unbounded" by Orfan (https://www.facebook.com/Orfan/)
Outro Graphics: Phneep (http://www.phneep.com/)
Outro Art: Rock Barcellos (http://www.rockincomics.com.br/)

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