HOWTO: create a 100% secure wallet

[muqali]

i didn't bother to read EVERY thread on here, but a thing to beware of with linux USB / live CDs: if your encryption requires high-quality random numbers, you might not want to generate random keys after booting from a USB boot / live CD; apparently that's not a good choice because the environment is more predictable. Anyone out there ever even take advantage of this flaw? I sure haven't; I've only had wikipedia entertain me with these thoughts

Honestly, it surely doesn't matter, but for those that love being paranoid: beware of generating keys after freshly booting from a live CD / USB.

As for creating a "100% secure wallet", I don't think it's possible to quantify or measure the % of security that a wallet is under. Keep in mind that your wallet isn't exactly secure if even YOU lose access to it! (It's no longer secure--it is useless!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RdRand

it's in my new cpu on the laptop but I don't know if it needs a kernel driver or not. Maybe anything using aes-ni can use it as an entropy source no kernel support needed.

[silentseawolf]

good how-to and discussion, thanks.

[bighecks]

Thanks for this im try this later on.

[ketamic]

Very well written. And made me seriously think about security... (And changing to Linux)

[Randy]

What would be the best way for a 'physical' storage? An USB is an obvious solution, but I've also heard of people just writing down some things on paper?

[Oxin]

Yes, it's really hard. And it is very necessary to know.

[Randy]

Yes, it's really hard. And it is very necessary to know.

Then, could you explain it please..? (:

[seanschneider]

Thanks man, your awesome!

[bulanula]

Nothing is 100% secure.

You fail at security if you really believe 100% secure exists

[zero3112]

Encryption is good but a offline wallet would be even better.

[btcwalker]

The more you secured, the more you know you don't secured

[bitcrowd]

thanks for this
my wallet thanks you

[maudi]

thanks for the explanation, it is very useful!!

[balalazz]

Is this safer than using the web based "wallets"?

[malaimult]

Is this safer than using the web based "wallets"?

try to avoid web based wallets

[Bitcoin Oz]

Could you get a brand new netbook and just stick that in a bank vault with bitcoin wallet on it ?

[Kazimir]

Could you get a brand new netbook and just stick that in a bank vault with bitcoin wallet on it ?

No need for the bank vault. If you have a brand new netbook, not connected to the internet, and you have a wallet on there with new addresses that you send your money to, you can simply encrypt the wallet (put it on a small TrueCrypt container if you want), copy it using a USB stick, and store it anywhere online. Much easier and safer than a bank vault.

[Pinwheel]

there is few linux distros, where Bitcoin wallet working OK, I tried Backtrack 5 ubuntu based, and it was working Ok for sometimes, but then suddenly I got error message related to memorry alocation mistake and as result I was unable to receive any incoming messages from bitcoins network and as result was not able to receive incoming transactions. I  tested few other Linuxes and only Pirate Linux also ubuntu based was working good with wallet.

my final conclusion is that unfortunately better stay with windows, but you can run windows on linux virtual machine with only purpose to run wallet on it.

interesting to note that wallet.dat file can be transfered from linux OS to Windows and windows wallet will work with it just fine.

[lucif]

Fresh linux desktop install under vmware VM. Keep bitcoin client there and nothing else.

[Fray]

This thread is very helpful.  Also I am willing to securely store peoples bitcoins for a small fee so they don't have to worry about wallet security.