Second offline computer really needed?

[adaseb]

Just wondering if the second computer (offline) is really needed if you only plan on doing a few transaction per year.

I was thinking just copying/backup/print the 12 word seed and whenever I need to spend the money, just load up a Live CD, install Electrum, restore from seed, and sign the transaction that will be later on broadcasted online with my other computer.

Are there any issues with this method?

[ranochigo]

It is fine.

[Coin-Keeper]

Just wondering if the second computer (offline) is really needed if you only plan on doing a few transaction per year.

I was thinking just copying/backup/print the 12 word seed and whenever I need to spend the money, just load up a Live CD, install Electrum, restore from seed, and sign the transaction that will be later on broadcasted online with my other computer.

Are there any issues with this method?

It sounds very much like you are already using another computer offline.  You are running it in a RAM OS with a Live disk and signing your transaction to be broadcast with your other machine.  Nothing wrong with that approach depending upon where you are getting the Electrum software you install once a year or so.  Just as food for thought here; if you spend any time online with that machine while you gather what is needed to "sign" those transactions you are sacrificing what makes a completely offline computer with Electrum so special.  On the other hand you can gather the needed software using your other machine and verify file integrity, etc.... and THEN use that software from a disk to run everything on your signing computer without ever taking it online.  Just my suggestion, others may differ.

[kolloh]

Yeah, this method should work fine. I also don't recommend you do any web browsing at all on the live CD. Better to have a local copy of the electrum installed on the live CD. This should be a pretty secure method. Better yet, disconnect the PC from the internet while you are using the live CD to sign the transaction. This essentially makes the live CD almost equivalent to a separate offline PC.

[adaseb]

Yeah seems to work well. I found this guide for installing all those required debs offline if anyone is interested.

https://gist.github.com/jacoblyles/80898d6388880334f3e5a78785702ccc

Only paranoia now is how to make sure the USB stick carrying the unsigned-signed transaction won't infect the offline PC someway-somehow.
No way is it possible to write down the unsigned/signed file on paper because its way too long.

[ranochigo]

Yeah seems to work well. I found this guide for installing all those required debs offline if anyone is interested.

https://gist.github.com/jacoblyles/80898d6388880334f3e5a78785702ccc

Only paranoia now is how to make sure the USB stick carrying the unsigned-signed transaction won't infect the offline PC someway-somehow.
No way is it possible to write down the unsigned/signed file on paper because its way too long.

Probably won't, you are using a linux OS which is already quite secure. If there isn't any internet connection, the virus would find it hard to transfer information to the central server. I haven't seen this kind of virus yet. That being said, you can also use QR code to transfer the information.

You will have to download extra software to decode the QR code though.