HOWTO: create a 100% secure wallet

[Spendulus]

The suggestions in #1 post are fairly good, may I add a few things.

WHAT YOU SAVE ON THE MEDIA

A) The backup ".DAT" file
B) the executable of the bitcoin client you used
C) The source code of that client
D) A readme.txt with the complete configuration of the computer you used, software and hardware.

WHAT YOU USE AS MEDIA

Two or three differing things.  For example, a CD Rom and a thumbdrive.

Note the various formats of thumbdrives and SD cards.  One of the old 1 or 2 GB cards may be better than the newer, higher density cards.  Using FAT may be better than using more advanced file systems.

Give me these things and ten years later I can bring it all back.  One way or another.

[SirWilliam]

What about the procedure described on Blockchain:

https://blockchain.info/wallet/paper-tutorial

[KraXed112]

Thanks for the info, made a few changes to my own to be more secure

[rpm]

thanks for the tip

[Coincrazy]

What about the procedure described on Blockchain:

https://blockchain.info/wallet/paper-tutorial

that for that URL

reading that tutorial, it looks like the main idea is to (a) generate a wallet (b) delete the private keys (c) keep / store your private keys and wallet elsewhere and (d) delete private keys from your system ..wallet / addresses are synched back

Is my understanding correct ?



regards
`

[Evo]

Thanks for the tips! I like the idea of storing my wallet on a portable memory device.

[JayBee66]

Interesting, I must do this.

[btcforall777]

now if we could just replace the Gox monopoly

[SirWilliam]

I think you are correct sir, but I am a newbie obviously so I couldn't say with any certainly. What you describe is the way I understood it.

What about the procedure described on Blockchain:

https://blockchain.info/wallet/paper-tutorial

that for that URL

reading that tutorial, it looks like the main idea is to (a) generate a wallet (b) delete the private keys (c) keep / store your private keys and wallet elsewhere and (d) delete private keys from your system ..wallet / addresses are synched back

Is my understanding correct ?



regards
`

[fluffypony]

Brain wallets, paper wallets, and deep cold wallets are additional excellent ways of creating a secure wallet for occasional transacting.

[kennerd]

Brain wallets, paper wallets, and deep cold wallets are additional excellent ways of creating a secure wallet for occasional transacting.

What's a deep cold wallet?

And how about a small TrueCrypt volume, stored on a remote server? Not in www of course, and with a very secure hard-to-crack password.

[Izumi Konata]

Brain wallets, paper wallets, and deep cold wallets are additional excellent ways of creating a secure wallet for occasional transacting.

What's a deep cold wallet?

And how about a small TrueCrypt volume, stored on a remote server? Not in www of course, and with a very secure hard-to-crack password.

That's what I was thinking, make a TrueCrypt container n keep it somewhere safe, or perhaps put it on a TrueCrypted microSD or USB stick or whatever. A hard to crack password doesn't necessarily need to be hard to remember. While lots of variations in uppercase/lowercase/special characters does increase the security of a password, so does length, which is why TrueCrypt advises a pass of @ least 20 chars.

So you could just take a pass like e.g "Itakemydogforawalkeverymorning!" (basically I mean something easy to remember 4 you, I don't have a dog btw, this was just a random example that popped into my head), it'll be pretty secure. Be aware that TrueCrypt only allows up to 60 chars. for a password, though. If you are on Windows and want an open-source alternative (TrueCrypt has a modified version of GNU) I'd suggest DiskCryptor. Both have their advantages and disadvantages but if you want details about the differences I suggest you use wiki and/or Google.

[kennerd]

Ya, the passphrase is a good idea, even better is using just one letter from each word for the password, with some numbers and other characters added like so:
I take my cat for a boat ride 2 times in the morning; and 3 times in the evening

Using the last letter of each word gives a decent password:

Ieytratr2sne;d3sneg

Commit the phrase to memory so it's not stored anywhere, and open the volume on an offline computer. With such a password, I think Truecrypt is safe enough to store a volume in any digital location, public or private as long as there are no hints for the password anywhere besides the offline PC. I could be wrong however.

[beebomb]

great post!

[PetesPanels]

loved this post

[zensunset]

This is good information.

[PetesPanels]

is there a way to permanently delete your wallet and keep everything offline in paper?

[gangstabit]

my first post!

great info. I am about to go through this whole thread and create a plan. I've used Ubuntu before and I love it, definitely better than windows (except for gaming).

[Coincrazy]

my first post!

great info. I am about to go through this whole thread and create a plan. I've used Ubuntu before and I love it, definitely better than windows (except for gaming).

hi

what's the best ubuntu version for starters ?

i do NOT want all bells and whistles ...just the basics needed for this operation

[furezasan]

That's a pretty cool way of doing it... cheers!