Bitcoin Forum

If some coin (include bitcoin) provide only (presume) desktop wallet, then anybody can use that computer's wallet's coin?

Just run that wallet program.

Because there is no login process at that desktop wallet.

And owner also doesn't know his secret key?

No.


Which will allow you to SEE the coins, but not SPEND them.


My desktop computer requires me to log in.  If you don't have a password on your computer, then that is YOUR FAULT.

Then, my wallet program is protected with a different password.  If you did not set a password on your wallet program, then that is also YOUR FAULT.


No. As long as you create a backup of your wallet, there is no need to know your secret keys.

Top security practices dictate you encrypt your Bitcoin wallet with a strong password because your machine can be hacked and remotely accessed, giving the hacker the ability to download your wallet file (wallet.dat). But if it's encrypted, they have no way to open it.

The fact that you need to input your password everytime you spend btc is the security feature itself.

If you don't encrypt your wallet, you're making it easy for hackers to steal your bitcoins.

Passwords only protect against physical attacks against your machine. They are completely useless against RATs or any other malware for that matter. If they can access your computer, they can install a malware to capture your password. The attacker would get your password the next time you unencrypt your wallet.

desktop wallet is not completely encrypted by default,its therefore upon you to protect yourself from exposure to ransomware violations. Your wallet activities can be tracked and stored at the provider level, this information then be used to by hackers.Every icon on your wallet will be broken and replaced by a generic that you will not be able to control, and just like that, all your money will be gone.

it takes skill and personal responsibility to secure your digital money its upto yo to keep them safe or else you wil be ripped and off they go.

I think the desktop wallet is safer than the web. Where you do not look much and you can put more security on your wallet. But if you lose the backup file of the wallet you can not get back. Get your own property on Desktop wallet.

Not sure what wallet you're using, but Electrum etc all recommend you to add a password on each individual wallet.


Explain, how does this come in the hands of hackers/people who distribute ransomware? Also just using a VPN will prevent them from seeing what data you entered where.

It definitely is. Even the most recent Electrum vulnerability, which is one of the most popular desktop wallets out there, didn't result in any confirmed losses. Hardware wallets are safer for sure, but for as long as you can keep your computer clean and protected, a desktop wallet should be secure enough (for average users anyway).

That being said, if you're running a desktop wallet, I'd recommend a Linux distro. Windows is targeted much more often thanks to its market share, so you're much less likely to run into anything dangerous randomly if you're using Linux.


You can opt for an open source one, so you could check the code yourself to make sure it's not doing anything shady.

You can setup password for wallet. It will encrypt your wallet with this password, without it noone else would be able to use it.
Owner always should know his private key. Its there, in wallet, you just need to export it depends on wallet u use.