Please help me to sign a time stamped message on my bitcoin cold wallet address

[IGCGamers]

Hi,

I have a bitcoin cold wallet address and i want to sign a message with time stamp. Please tell me how to do it?  Please do not make fun of me for asking such things.

Please tell me the step by step procedure..  I am new to this...

[1715000159]

1715000159

[cellard]

Hi,

I have a bitcoin cold wallet address and i want to sign a message with time stamp. Please tell me how to do it?  Please do not make fun of me for asking such things.

Please tell me the step by step procedure..  I am new to this...

What software are you using? I know how to sign messages with Bitcoin Core. If you are using Bitcoin Core:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oxM9_OCQKM

You could also import your key on Electrum and do it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNmC_BYO8eM

Note that you need your private key to do this, so don't use online wallets like blockchain.info etc

[Xynerise]

You can import it into Mycelium wallet and sign from there, but whenever you import your private key from a paper wallet into any wallet, consider it compromised and move everything to another paper wallet.

This may seem a bit paranoid but it's better safe than sorry, since bitcoin transactions are immutable.

[Sendbitz]

What would be the purpose of signing one's address?

-- Say, if the private key for that address is stolen, would signing be of any help? (Since Bitcoin is decentralized and no one in control, where can one appeal to to in such a case)?

-- Also, would not the private key be exposed  unnecessarily due to the signing? (leaving the paper/cold wallet as it is would be more advisable)?

Thanks a lot.

[bob123]

Since you didn't provide any further information about how these cold storage is organized i will give you a small general procedure.
The first thing to do would be to set up a new offline linux environment (e.g. from booting media) with a wallet client of your choice (e.g. core or electrum).
Then, depending on how your key(s) is/are stored you can easily import them into the wallet, sign the message and copy it onto a (safe) usb-stick.
After you then shut down your linux environment you can then share the message from your online pc.

-- Also, would not the private key be exposed  unnecessarily due to the signing? (leaving the paper/cold wallet as it is would be more advisable)?

No, the private key does not get exposed from a signed message. That would break the whole concept of a PKI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_key_infrastructure)

[Taras]

A lot of people miss the fact that you can sign messages offline with Bitcoin Core without needing to sync the blockchain. It's very easy to do, it's just in the File menu. Additionally you do not need an internet connection which is important for cold storage. You just need a way to get Bitcoin Core to an offline computer (e.g. a secure flash drive).

[TryNinja]

-- Say, if the private key for that address is stolen, would signing be of any help? (Since Bitcoin is decentralized and no one in control, where can one appeal to to in such a case)?

That's not what signing is for. The purpose of a signed message is to prove that an specific address belongs to you. Let's say that I create an account here at BitcoinTalk and tell everybody that the address 1XXXXXXXXX is mine. If I ever get hacked and lose my account, I can create a new one and post a message signed with my 1XXXXXXXXX address to prove that I'm the original owner of the account.

-- Also, would not the private key be exposed  unnecessarily due to the signing? (leaving the paper/cold wallet as it is would be more advisable)?

You don't need internet access to sign a message. If you sign directly from your cold wallet or temporary import your paper wallet in a air-gapped device, your private-key won't be put in risk.

[cellard]

A lot of people miss the fact that you can sign messages offline with Bitcoin Core without needing to sync the blockchain. It's very easy to do, it's just in the File menu. Additionally you do not need an internet connection which is important for cold storage. You just need a way to get Bitcoin Core to an offline computer (e.g. a secure flash drive).

Indeed, but Bitcoin Core developers should work harder on making Bitcoin Core's GUI easy to use for offline storage. For example, I want to send coins from an offline Bitcoin Core installation into another laptop that has Bitcoin Core online and synced. In order to do so, I need to resort to very user-unfriendly commands like rawtransaction crafting and so on. I claim this could be nicely resolved in the GUI avoid mistakes which could be fatal. You enter the wrong amount of digits and you end up sending a massive fee for example. They need to work on that.

[pebwindkraft]

Indeed, but Bitcoin Core developers should work harder on making Bitcoin Core's GUI easy to use for offline storage. For example, I want to send coins from an offline Bitcoin Core installation into another laptop that has Bitcoin Core online and synced. In order to do so, I need to resort to very user-unfriendly commands like rawtransaction crafting and so on. I claim this could be nicely resolved in the GUI avoid mistakes which could be fatal. You enter the wrong amount of digits and you end up sending a massive fee for example. They need to work on that.

I am uncomfortable with "they". Too many people here say they should/they must, so that I can ... Why they? Anything that is contributed? Have you supported the community with code to resolve GUI issues? Would you pay the developper for your requirement?

[IGCGamers]

Thanks for all your kind help. I have done what i wanted.. I am locking this thread now...