diff --git a/utils/utils.go b/utils/utils.go
index e47169866..9b8b145fe 100644
--- a/utils/utils.go
+++ b/utils/utils.go
@@ -102,65 +102,65 @@ func ReadUint16(b io.ByteReader) (uint16, error) {
 
 // WriteUint64 writes a uint64
 func WriteUint64(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint64) {
-	b.WriteByte(uint8(i & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 8) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 16) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 24) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 32) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 40) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 48) & 0xff))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 8))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 16))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 24))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 32))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 40))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 48))
 	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 56))
 }
 
 // WriteUint56 writes 56 bit of a uint64
 func WriteUint56(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint64) {
-	b.WriteByte(uint8(i & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 8) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 16) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 24) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 32) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 40) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 48)))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 8))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 16))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 24))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 32))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 40))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 48))
 }
 
 // WriteUint48 writes 48 bit of a uint64
 func WriteUint48(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint64) {
-	b.WriteByte(uint8(i & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 8) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 16) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 24) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 32) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 40)))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 8))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 16))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 24))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 32))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 40))
 }
 
 // WriteUint40 writes 40 bit of a uint64
 func WriteUint40(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint64) {
-	b.WriteByte(uint8(i & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 8) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 16) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 24) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 32)))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 8))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 16))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 24))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 32))
 }
 
 // WriteUint32 writes a uint32
 func WriteUint32(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint32) {
-	b.WriteByte(uint8(i & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 8) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 16) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 24) & 0xff))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 8))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 16))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 24))
 }
 
 // WriteUint24 writes 24 bit of a uint32
 func WriteUint24(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint32) {
-	b.WriteByte(uint8(i & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 8) & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 16) & 0xff))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 8))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 16))
 }
 
 // WriteUint16 writes a uint16
 func WriteUint16(b *bytes.Buffer, i uint16) {
-	b.WriteByte(uint8(i & 0xff))
-	b.WriteByte(uint8((i >> 8) & 0xff))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i))
+	b.WriteByte(uint8(i >> 8))
 }
 
 // RandomBit returns a cryptographically secure random bit (encoded as true / false)