diff --git a/__tests__/integration/core-p2p/socket-server/peer.test.ts b/__tests__/integration/core-p2p/socket-server/peer.test.ts
index df4c589b35..5d1a47f08e 100644
--- a/__tests__/integration/core-p2p/socket-server/peer.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/integration/core-p2p/socket-server/peer.test.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ Managers.configManager.setFromPreset("unitnet");
 
 let server: SocketCluster;
 let socket;
+let connect;
 let emit;
+let send;
 
 const headers = {
     version: "2.1.0",
@@ -32,7 +34,7 @@ beforeAll(async () => {
 
     const { service, processor } = createPeerService();
 
-    server = await startSocketServer(service, { server: { port: 4007 } });
+    server = await startSocketServer(service, { server: { port: 4007, workers: 1 } });
     await delay(1000);
 
     socket = socketCluster.create({
@@ -43,11 +45,15 @@ beforeAll(async () => {
         //
     });
 
+    connect = () => socket.connect();
+
     emit = (event, data) =>
         new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
             socket.emit(event, data, (err, val) => (err ? reject(err) : resolve(val)));
         });
 
+    send = data => socket.send(data);
+
     jest.spyOn(processor, "validateAndAcceptPeer").mockImplementation(jest.fn());
 });
 
@@ -127,6 +133,41 @@ describe("Peer socket endpoint", () => {
                     }),
                 ).toResolve();
             });
+
+            it("should disconnect the client if it sends an invalid message payload", async () => {
+                await delay(1000);
+
+                expect(socket.state).toBe("open");
+
+                send('{"event": "#handshake", "data": {}, "cid": 1}');
+                await delay(500);
+
+                send("Invalid payload");
+                await delay(1000);
+
+                expect(socket.state).toBe("closed");
+            });
+
+            it("should disconnect the client if it sends too many pongs too quickly", async () => {
+                connect();
+                await delay(1000);
+
+                expect(socket.state).toBe("open");
+
+                send('{"event": "#handshake", "data": {}, "cid": 1}');
+                await delay(500);
+
+                send("#2");
+                await delay(1000);
+
+                expect(socket.state).toBe("open");
+
+                send("#2");
+                send("#2");
+                await delay(1000);
+
+                expect(socket.state).toBe("closed");
+            });
         });
     });
 
@@ -229,5 +270,30 @@ describe("Peer socket endpoint", () => {
                 }),
             ).rejects.toHaveProperty("name", "BadConnectionError");
         });
+
+        it("should close the connection and prevent reconnection if blocked", async () => {
+            await delay(1000);
+
+            await emit("p2p.peer.getPeers", {
+                headers,
+            });
+
+            expect(socket.state).toBe("open");
+
+            for (let i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
+                await expect(
+                    emit("p2p.peer.getPeers", {
+                        headers,
+                    }),
+                ).rejects.toContainAnyEntries([["name", "CoreRateLimitExceededError"], ["name", "BadConnectionError"]]);
+            }
+
+            expect(socket.state).not.toBe("open");
+
+            socket.connect();
+            await delay(1000);
+
+            expect(socket.state).not.toBe("open");
+        });
     });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/unit/core-webhooks/conditions.test.ts b/__tests__/unit/core-webhooks/conditions.test.ts
index 036e00e239..74b58758c5 100644
--- a/__tests__/unit/core-webhooks/conditions.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/unit/core-webhooks/conditions.test.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ describe("Conditions - between", () => {
                 max: 2,
             }),
         ).toBeTrue();
+        expect(
+            between("1.5", {
+                min: "1",
+                max: "2",
+            }),
+        ).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
@@ -31,6 +37,12 @@ describe("Conditions - between", () => {
                 max: 2,
             }),
         ).toBeFalse();
+        expect(
+            between("3", {
+                min: "1",
+                max: "2",
+            }),
+        ).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
 
@@ -47,30 +59,46 @@ describe("Conditions - contains", () => {
 describe("Conditions - equal", () => {
     it("should be true", () => {
         expect(eq(1, 1)).toBeTrue();
+        expect(eq("1", "1")).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
         expect(eq(1, 2)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(eq("1", "2")).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
 
 describe("Conditions - falsy", () => {
     it("should be true", () => {
         expect(falsy(false)).toBeTrue();
+        expect(falsy("false")).toBeTrue();
+        expect(falsy("FaLsE")).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
         expect(falsy(true)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(falsy("true")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(falsy("TrUe")).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
 
 describe("Conditions - greater than", () => {
     it("should be true", () => {
         expect(gt(2, 1)).toBeTrue();
+        expect(gt("2", "1")).toBeTrue();
+        expect(gt("10", "2")).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
         expect(gt(1, 2)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("1", "2")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("2", "10")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(undefined, NaN)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(1, NaN)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(undefined, 1)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("null", "NaN")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("1", "NaN")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("null", "1")).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
 
@@ -78,20 +106,37 @@ describe("Conditions - greater than or equal", () => {
     it("should be true", () => {
         expect(gte(2, 1)).toBeTrue();
         expect(gte(2, 2)).toBeTrue();
+        expect(gte("2", "1")).toBeTrue();
+        expect(gte("2", "2")).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
         expect(gte(1, 2)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gte("1", "2")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(undefined, NaN)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(1, NaN)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(undefined, 1)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("null", "NaN")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("1", "NaN")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("null", "1")).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
 
 describe("Conditions - less than", () => {
     it("should be true", () => {
         expect(lt(1, 2)).toBeTrue();
+        expect(lt("1", "2")).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
         expect(lt(2, 1)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(lt("2", "1")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(undefined, NaN)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(1, NaN)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(undefined, 1)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("null", "NaN")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("1", "NaN")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("null", "1")).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
 
@@ -99,20 +144,31 @@ describe("Conditions - less than or equal", () => {
     it("should be true", () => {
         expect(lte(1, 2)).toBeTrue();
         expect(lte(1, 1)).toBeTrue();
+        expect(lte("1", "2")).toBeTrue();
+        expect(lte("1", "1")).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
         expect(lte(2, 1)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(lte("2", "1")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(undefined, NaN)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(1, NaN)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt(undefined, 1)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("null", "NaN")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("1", "NaN")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(gt("null", "1")).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
 
 describe("Conditions - not equal", () => {
     it("should be true", () => {
         expect(ne(1, 2)).toBeTrue();
+        expect(ne("1", "2")).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
         expect(ne(1, 1)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(ne("1", "1")).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
 
@@ -124,6 +180,12 @@ describe("Conditions - not-between", () => {
                 max: 2,
             }),
         ).toBeTrue();
+        expect(
+            notBetween("3", {
+                min: "1",
+                max: "2",
+            }),
+        ).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
@@ -133,6 +195,12 @@ describe("Conditions - not-between", () => {
                 max: 2,
             }),
         ).toBeFalse();
+        expect(
+            notBetween("1.5", {
+                min: "1",
+                max: "2",
+            }),
+        ).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
 
@@ -149,9 +217,13 @@ describe("Conditions - regexp", () => {
 describe("Conditions - truthy", () => {
     it("should be true", () => {
         expect(truthy(true)).toBeTrue();
+        expect(truthy("true")).toBeTrue();
+        expect(truthy("TrUe")).toBeTrue();
     });
 
     it("should be false", () => {
         expect(truthy(false)).toBeFalse();
+        expect(truthy("false")).toBeFalse();
+        expect(truthy("FaLsE")).toBeFalse();
     });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core-p2p/src/enums.ts b/packages/core-p2p/src/enums.ts
index c82f15229d..ba76351823 100644
--- a/packages/core-p2p/src/enums.ts
+++ b/packages/core-p2p/src/enums.ts
@@ -31,4 +31,5 @@ export enum SocketErrors {
     Validation = "CoreValidationError",
     RateLimitExceeded = "CoreRateLimitExceededError",
     Forbidden = "CoreForbiddenError",
+    InvalidMessagePayload = "CoreInvalidMessagePayloadError",
 }
diff --git a/packages/core-p2p/src/peer-connector.ts b/packages/core-p2p/src/peer-connector.ts
index 582e2b9a2a..6ce13ccb7b 100644
--- a/packages/core-p2p/src/peer-connector.ts
+++ b/packages/core-p2p/src/peer-connector.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export class PeerConnector implements P2P.IPeerConnector {
         connection = create({
             port: peer.port,
             hostname: peer.ip,
+            perMessageDeflate: true,
         });
 
         this.connections.set(peer.ip, connection);
diff --git a/packages/core-p2p/src/socket-server/index.ts b/packages/core-p2p/src/socket-server/index.ts
index 400caf079d..cccede240d 100644
--- a/packages/core-p2p/src/socket-server/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core-p2p/src/socket-server/index.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export const startSocketServer = async (service: P2P.IPeerService, config: Recor
             workerController: __dirname + `${relativeSocketPath}/worker.js`,
             workers: 2,
             wsEngine: "ws",
+            perMessageDeflate: true,
         },
         ...config.server,
     });
diff --git a/packages/core-p2p/src/socket-server/worker.ts b/packages/core-p2p/src/socket-server/worker.ts
index bfa6f7dd84..725f8cbf0c 100644
--- a/packages/core-p2p/src/socket-server/worker.ts
+++ b/packages/core-p2p/src/socket-server/worker.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ export class Worker extends SCWorker {
 
         await this.loadConfiguration();
 
+        // @ts-ignore
+        this.scServer.wsServer.on("connection", (ws, req) => this.handlePayload(ws, req));
         this.scServer.on("connection", socket => this.handleConnection(socket));
         this.scServer.addMiddleware(this.scServer.MIDDLEWARE_HANDSHAKE_WS, (req, next) =>
             this.handleHandshake(req, next),
@@ -55,6 +57,36 @@ export class Worker extends SCWorker {
         });
     }
 
+    private handlePayload(ws, req) {
+        ws.on("message", message => {
+            try {
+                const InvalidMessagePayloadError: Error = this.createError(
+                    SocketErrors.InvalidMessagePayload,
+                    "The message contained an invalid payload",
+                );
+                if (message === "#2") {
+                    const timeNow: number = new Date().getTime() / 1000;
+                    if (ws._lastPingTime && timeNow - ws._lastPingTime < 1) {
+                        throw InvalidMessagePayloadError;
+                    }
+                    ws._lastPingTime = timeNow;
+                } else {
+                    const parsed = JSON.parse(message);
+                    if (
+                        typeof parsed.event !== "string" ||
+                        typeof parsed.data !== "object" ||
+                        (typeof parsed.cid !== "number" &&
+                            (parsed.event === "#disconnect" && typeof parsed.cid !== "undefined"))
+                    ) {
+                        throw InvalidMessagePayloadError;
+                    }
+                }
+            } catch (error) {
+                ws.terminate();
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
     private async handleConnection(socket): Promise<void> {
         const { data } = await this.sendToMasterAsync("p2p.utils.getHandlers");
 
@@ -86,7 +118,7 @@ export class Worker extends SCWorker {
     private async handleEmit(req, next): Promise<void> {
         if (await this.rateLimiter.hasExceededRateLimit(req.socket.remoteAddress, req.event)) {
             if (await this.rateLimiter.isBlocked(req.socket.remoteAddress)) {
-                req.socket.disconnect(4403, "Forbidden");
+                req.socket.terminate();
                 return;
             }
 
diff --git a/packages/core-webhooks/src/conditions.ts b/packages/core-webhooks/src/conditions.ts
index 764257076b..316934a91e 100644
--- a/packages/core-webhooks/src/conditions.ts
+++ b/packages/core-webhooks/src/conditions.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
-export const between = (actual, expected): boolean => actual > expected.min && actual < expected.max;
+import { Utils } from "@arkecosystem/crypto";
+
+const toBoolean = (value): boolean => value.toString().toLowerCase().trim() === "true" ? true : false;
+
+export const between = (actual, expected): boolean => gt(actual, expected.min) && lt(actual, expected.max);
 export const contains = (actual, expected): boolean => actual.includes(expected);
-export const eq = (actual, expected): boolean => actual === expected;
-export const falsy = (actual): boolean => actual === false;
-export const gt = (actual, expected): boolean => actual > expected;
-export const gte = (actual, expected): boolean => actual >= expected;
-export const lt = (actual, expected): boolean => actual < expected;
-export const lte = (actual, expected): boolean => actual <= expected;
-export const ne = (actual, expected): boolean => actual !== expected;
+export const eq = (actual, expected): boolean => JSON.stringify(actual) === JSON.stringify(expected);
+export const falsy = (actual): boolean => actual === false || !toBoolean(actual);
+export const gt = (actual, expected): boolean => Utils.BigNumber.make(actual).gt(expected);
+export const gte = (actual, expected): boolean => Utils.BigNumber.make(actual).gte(expected);
+export const lt = (actual, expected): boolean => Utils.BigNumber.make(actual).lt(expected);
+export const lte = (actual, expected): boolean => Utils.BigNumber.make(actual).lte(expected);
+export const ne = (actual, expected): boolean => !eq(actual, expected);
 export const notBetween = (actual, expected): boolean => !between(actual, expected);
 export const regexp = (actual, expected): boolean => new RegExp(expected).test(actual);
-export const truthy = (actual): boolean => actual === true;
+export const truthy = (actual): boolean => actual === true || toBoolean(actual);
diff --git a/packages/crypto/src/validation/index.ts b/packages/crypto/src/validation/index.ts
index ebf40c4373..5601090c72 100644
--- a/packages/crypto/src/validation/index.ts
+++ b/packages/crypto/src/validation/index.ts
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ export class Validator {
             $id: "transactions",
             type: "array",
             additionalItems: false,
-            items: { oneOf: [...this.transactionSchemas].map(schema => ({ $ref: `${schema}Signed` })) },
+            items: { anyOf: [...this.transactionSchemas].map(schema => ({ $ref: `${schema}Signed` })) },
         });
         this.ajv.addSchema(schemas.block);
     }