Wallet Security Dos and Don'ts - Revision history

Calliptamus at 09:56, 17 May 2025

2025-05-17T09:56:53Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:56, 17 May 2025
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	This article should not be considered as a replacement for the more in-depth articles on best ~~practices~~, however key points in wallet security:		This article should not be considered as a replacement for the more in-depth articles on [[Best Practices\|best practice]], however key points in wallet security:

	== Do ==		== Do ==

Luke-jr: Remove bad advice

2017-01-23T20:29:16Z

Remove bad advice

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:29, 23 January 2017
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	* DO seek to understand what you are doing, before you do it		* DO seek to understand what you are doing, before you do it
	* DO verify understanding by testing with ~~small low value transactions~~		* DO verify understanding by testing with [[testnet]]
	* DO encrypt your wallet with a strong passphrase		* DO encrypt your wallet with a strong passphrase
	* DO use recommended software from the list at https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet		* DO use recommended software from the list at https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet
	* DO make multiple redundant backups of your wallet		* DO make multiple redundant backups of your wallet
	* DO keep your OS up to date and run a virus scanner		* DO keep your OS up to date and run a virus scanner
	* DO manage significant amounts in offline wallets ~~(cold/paper/hardware)~~		* DO manage significant amounts in offline wallets
	* DO prepare for black swan disaster scenarios when dealing with large sums (e.g., fire & water damage, theft, head injury and death)		* DO prepare for black swan disaster scenarios when dealing with large sums (e.g., fire & water damage, theft, head injury and death)

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	* DO NOT reuse a wallet encryption passphrases with online services		* DO NOT reuse a wallet encryption passphrases with online services
	* DO NOT store your wallet on cloud storage (Dropbox, etc.)		* DO NOT store your wallet on cloud storage (Dropbox, etc.)
	* DO NOT re-use addresses ~~(including paper wallet addresses) if you care about privacy~~		* DO NOT re-use addresses

	== See also ==		== See also ==
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	* [[Securing your wallet]]		* [[Securing your wallet]]
	* [[Hardware wallet]]		* [[Hardware wallet]]
	* [[Brainwallet]]
	* [[Paper wallet]]
	* [[Cold storage]]		* [[Cold storage]]
	* [[How to set up a secure offline savings wallet]]		* [[How to set up a secure offline savings wallet]]
	* [[Paper ECDSA private keys]]

Liraz: /* See also */ added cold storage internal link

2017-01-22T12:53:32Z

See also: added cold storage internal link

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:53, 22 January 2017
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	* [[Brainwallet]]		* [[Brainwallet]]
	* [[Paper wallet]]		* [[Paper wallet]]
			* [[Cold storage]]
	* [[How to set up a secure offline savings wallet]]		* [[How to set up a secure offline savings wallet]]
	* [[Paper ECDSA private keys]]		* [[Paper ECDSA private keys]]

Liraz: /* Do */

2017-01-22T12:52:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:52, 22 January 2017
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	* DO make multiple redundant backups of your wallet		* DO make multiple redundant backups of your wallet
	* DO keep your OS up to date and run a virus scanner		* DO keep your OS up to date and run a virus scanner
	* DO ~~store~~ significant amounts in offline wallets (cold/paper/hardware)		* DO manage significant amounts in offline wallets (cold/paper/hardware)
	* DO prepare for black swan disaster scenarios when dealing with large sums (e.g., fire & water damage, theft, head injury and death)		* DO prepare for black swan disaster scenarios when dealing with large sums (e.g., fire & water damage, theft, head injury and death)

Liraz: /* Do */ recommend multiple backups, caution against preparing for black swans

2017-01-22T12:51:06Z

Do: recommend multiple backups, caution against preparing for black swans

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:51, 22 January 2017
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	* DO verify understanding by testing with small low value transactions		* DO verify understanding by testing with small low value transactions
	* DO encrypt your wallet with a strong passphrase		* DO encrypt your wallet with a strong passphrase
	* DO backup your wallet
	* DO use recommended software from the list at https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet		* DO use recommended software from the list at https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet
			* DO make multiple redundant backups of your wallet
	* DO keep your OS up to date and run a virus scanner		* DO keep your OS up to date and run a virus scanner
	* DO store significant amounts in offline wallets (cold/paper/hardware)		* DO store significant amounts in offline wallets (cold/paper/hardware)
			* DO prepare for black swan disaster scenarios when dealing with large sums (e.g., fire & water damage, theft, head injury and death)

	== Don't ==		== Don't ==

Liraz: /* Don't */ clarified address re-use privacy implications

2017-01-22T12:47:20Z

Don't: clarified address re-use privacy implications

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:47, 22 January 2017
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	* DO NOT reuse a wallet encryption passphrases with online services		* DO NOT reuse a wallet encryption passphrases with online services
	* DO NOT store your wallet on cloud storage (Dropbox, etc.)		* DO NOT store your wallet on cloud storage (Dropbox, etc.)
	* DO NOT re-use addresses (~~this also applies to~~ paper wallet addresses)		* DO NOT re-use addresses (including paper wallet addresses) if you care about privacy

	== See also ==		== See also ==

Liraz: /* Do */ understand and test

2017-01-22T12:42:20Z

Do: understand and test

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:42, 22 January 2017
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	== Do ==		== Do ==

			* DO seek to understand what you are doing, before you do it
			* DO verify understanding by testing with small low value transactions
	* DO encrypt your wallet with a strong passphrase		* DO encrypt your wallet with a strong passphrase
	* DO backup your wallet		* DO backup your wallet

Liraz: /* Don't */ warning regarding untrustworthy devices

2017-01-22T12:39:27Z

Don't: warning regarding untrustworthy devices

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:39, 22 January 2017
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	== Don't ==		== Don't ==

			* DO NOT trust an untrustworthy device or program to generate your wallet keys
	* DO NOT generate cold storage keys on Internet-connected machines.		* DO NOT generate cold storage keys on Internet-connected machines.
	* DO NOT reconnect to the Internet a machine that has had access to cold storage keys.		* DO NOT reconnect to the Internet a machine that has had access to cold storage keys.

Liraz: /* Don't */ generated => had access to

2017-01-22T12:34:44Z

Don't: generated => had access to

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:34, 22 January 2017
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	* DO NOT generate cold storage keys on Internet-connected machines.		* DO NOT generate cold storage keys on Internet-connected machines.
	* DO NOT reconnect to the Internet a machine that has ~~generated~~ cold storage keys.		* DO NOT reconnect to the Internet a machine that has had access to cold storage keys.
	* DO NOT reuse a wallet encryption passphrases with online services		* DO NOT reuse a wallet encryption passphrases with online services
	* DO NOT store your wallet on cloud storage (Dropbox, etc.)		* DO NOT store your wallet on cloud storage (Dropbox, etc.)

Liraz: /* Do */ revised Dos

2017-01-22T12:33:46Z

Do: revised Dos

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:33, 22 January 2017
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	* DO use recommended software from the list at https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet		* DO use recommended software from the list at https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet
	* DO keep your OS up to date and run a virus scanner		* DO keep your OS up to date and run a virus scanner
	* DO ~~use a~~ paper/hardware ~~wallet for storing significant amounts~~		* DO store significant amounts in offline wallets (cold/paper/hardware)

	== Don't ==		== Don't ==