Computer Security Questions

[viking02]

Hey all.  What security precautions do you all use with your computers but especially with your computer with your bitcoin or altcoin wallets?


For example, i use keepass to create and store passwords etc.  Thus these passwords are randomly generated by keepass etc.  Back then i would put simple passwords until i heard of keepass etc.


But for your computer, say if it gets stolen or someone has access to it, what must be done before it where they cannot hack your computer or check your programs or put a virus to hack your bitcoin or altcoin wallets?


For example, does everyone here put a password to at least up their computer?  I use windows 10 but when i start up computer, well i never put a password.  So if thats the case, wouldn't it mean someone with access to this laptop could just go to a site and click on a dangerous link and then your computer is hacked?


However i heard doing this doesn't really do much.  Is that true or not?  I heard that the startup password does not do anything at all and can easily be reset.  Is that true?


I read something about you need to encrypt your hard drive and if you do that, then if your computer gets stolen or someone has access to it, then they cannot check whats there etc.  Is that true or false?


And if so, can someone tell me what steps one needs to take to do this?  Thus even if someone has your computer, they cannot access anything on it?


And if you don't have any security on it, does that mean someone can hack your bitcoin wallet or any wallet if they have your computer?  However, could they do this if you have a password for your bitcoin wallet when sending bitcoin?  Or could they not do this?

[efeaydin]

• I run monthly antivirus scans.
• I open the files that I've downloaded from internet in Sandboxie.
• I store my phrase and private key in a paper, not my computer.
• I use an encrypted wallet.

These things are enough for me because I don't store high amounts in my wallet and I don't have sensititive data on my computer.

[escrow.ms]

I will advice you to buy a hardware wallet. https://trezor.io/

[rublix]

Your best bet is to go with a hardware wallet or have a cold storage device (which is not connected to Internet) and avoid using a Windows OS as its the most vulnerable.

[goinmerry]

I don't need to go through over security just to protect my bitcoin. In my desktop, Windows Defender is enough. No password. You just have to be cautious on what site you are downloading. I also have bitcoin desktop wallet here. The security of your both bitcoin, desktop computer or any other platforms depends on you. Basic security is enough as long as you know what you are doing.

Just remember one important thing while browsing the web: THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK. Wrong click may compromised you.

[linenoise]

The normal procedure of having malware and antivirus is obviously a given. All wallet apps should have a password. Also back up your keys in case of computer failure.

If you use a bitcoin service like coinbase or blockchain having the 2 factor auth should also be a given.

A hardware wallet is an extra level of security, depending on what you consider your risk to be that is always a good option.

Or make a paper wallet and lock that away in a safe / safety deposit if you don't plan on access it for awhile.

[coinsgod]

I can't believe most peeps here don't take computer security seriously. Full disk encryption (of your Windows  partition) is a must so when you boot your computer, you need to enter a password before the operating system boots up. Something like Veracrypt is one to look at.

Browsing the web having your web browsers sandboxed by Sandboxie or Comodo is a must so you don't get any viruses/malware/etc. downloaded to your computer.

These two things are just basis computer security practices.

[BitcoinSupremo]

If you don't want to buy a hardware wallet, you can use Truecrypt or Veracrypt, both free encryption programs, but they are not for newbies, with these programs you must know what are you doing otherwise you risk to accidentally delete a portion of your HDD where you may well have stored your wallet.dat files. Read thorough descriptions and faqs about them and youtube videos also and if you feel confident you can go with them. They are very powerful encryption programs and it is very difficult for any hacker even if they access to your computer to hack them.

What Truecrypt or Veracrypt does it makes "disappears" a portion of your hardisk, and only you with the key (password) of the program can restore it back. Do so with your wallet.dat directory whenever you do not need to use it.

[scottyb309]

if you are concerned with security there are two options that I would recommend

Hardware wallet such as ledger nano (stores bitcoin and altcoins)

Cold storage a computer that is air gapped (no internet connection) https://www.ledgerwallet.com/products/ledger-nano-s

Paper wallets (private key is printed out) https://bitcoinpaperwallet.com/

[mk4]

Oh dear that's alot of questions.

To sum it all up, buy a hardware wallet if you're thinking about the security of your wallets. That's it. That'll pretty much fix all your concerns. Also, do the basic stuff like scan your whole computer like atleast weekly and don't click on those shady links like "hot young teens in your area" or something, if you know what I mean . I suggest using MalwareBytes even if you only have the free version, as it's scanner is pretty good; it can also search for rootkits.

[viking02]

To those of you that say use bitlocker, veracrypt and truecrypt, is it easy for someone not that good with computers to understand?  For example, i know how to use programs like keepass etc.  But when someone say if you are not careful or dont know what you are doing, you might delete a part of your hard drive while using these programs?  So you are telling me this process is very complicated for someone that is not very good with computers?


I have very basic knowledge of computers. 


I have windows 10 pro.  Which of those 3 programs would you say is best? Bitcoinlocker, veracrypt or truecrypt?  Which one would be the simplest to use?  Which is most secure or all of them are the same?

[coinsgod]

I have very basic knowledge of computers. 

It's time to dedicate some time into basic computer security practices which 99.5% of the population never ever do.

I have windows 10 pro.  Which of those 3 programs would you say is best? Bitcoinlocker, veracrypt or truecrypt?  Which one would be the simplest to use?  Which is most secure or all of them are the same?

Veracrypt is the only one that's secure. Don't trust Bitlocker by Microsoft that it doesn't have a backdoor put in from the NSA or another agency, and Truecrypt support has been stopped for many years already and isn't supported. No update fixes anymore. All Truecrypt users were urged to upgrade to Veracrypt.

[coinsgod]

If you don't want to buy a hardware wallet, you can use Truecrypt or Veracrypt, both free encryption programs, but they are not for newbies, with these programs you must know what are you doing otherwise you risk to accidentally delete a portion of your HDD where you may well have stored your wallet.dat files. Read thorough descriptions and faqs about them and youtube videos also and if you feel confident you can go with them. They are very powerful encryption programs and it is very difficult for any hacker even if they access to your computer to hack them.

What Truecrypt or Veracrypt does it makes "disappears" a portion of your hardisk, and only you with the key (password) of the program can restore it back. Do so with your wallet.dat directory whenever you do not need to use it.

The problem with a lot of desktop wallet programs is that they don't allow you to choose where you want to install your wallet, meaning which drive or folder. They usually just install it into C:/

If using Veracrypt you would need to create a container which will be encrypted. But if the wallet program doesn't allow you to choose the location of where it will be installed, then you wouldn't be able to install the whole wallet program into that container then dismount it so that container becomes encrypted.

Maybe another option would be to install the wallet programs normally into C:/ then use GPG4Win to encrypt the whole wallet folder. Thoughts?