How do you keep your mnemonic phrases?

[A Feeder]

OK, this would sound noobish but I'm interested to know how other people keep the mnemonic phrase generated by the wallet. I do have the wallets secured with a pw and backed up (still not enough to warrant a hardware wallet) but I also have the passphrases handwritten in paper (someone said be wary of printers) and stashed somewhere but I'm wondering if there's a better way to keep them.

I don't know any cryptography but I'm thinking of shuffling the words rather than writing them down in order. Like a 12x12 grid where I'd spread them out in certain patterns and then finished with filler words. Since it's no longer as straight-forward should anyone get their hands on it, I think it would finally be safer to keep digital copies of it. Any suggestions?

My technique is that I print 2 copies of them and store them in two different places which I am the only one who knows. A digital copy is not so safe anymore because of the presence of the hackers and malwares. Also, I recommend you to buy a ledger because it will really help you keep your assets secure in one place.

[Reid]

Go old times.
Paper would still be best. USB's can get corrupted anytime and also your computer with just a simple virus.
While with paper you can just keep it at your house or in your wallet, physical wallet.

If ever it was stolen I dont think pickpockets will know what the hell is that. Codes like that are meant to have copies too. So you can have two or three written in some paper.

[matipoto]

OK, this would sound noobish but I'm interested to know how other people keep the mnemonic phrase generated by the wallet. I do have the wallets secured with a pw and backed up (still not enough to warrant a hardware wallet) but I also have the passphrases handwritten in paper (someone said be wary of printers) and stashed somewhere but I'm wondering if there's a better way to keep them.

I don't know any cryptography but I'm thinking of shuffling the words rather than writing them down in order. Like a 12x12 grid where I'd spread them out in certain patterns and then finished with filler words. Since it's no longer as straight-forward should anyone get their hands on it, I think it would finally be safer to keep digital copies of it. Any suggestions?

I don't really agree. I think the safest way to store your mnemonic phrase is not with a digital copy, but offline. I store it on a piece of paper, written by myself (not printed) and hidden in my house. How can someone still it? I should suffer a robbery from someone who knows what he is looking for and where to find it, a little difficult I would say... Instead, everything that's in your computer can be hacked.

[pixie85]

I think there was a similar thread here yesterday. I'm keeping my phrases written on 2 pieces of paper. One of them is among my notes but it's hard to notice. Somebody would have to know what to look for to find it. The other is inside one of my books on the shelf. If somebody starts stealing my books it's going to be the end of the world anyway

[AVAMONEY]

Yes, save data on digital file are more secured. My self making secures data on my computer like this:
1. Save the mnemonic phrases on .txt file
2. Pack the file into file .rar with strong password set
3. Install Bit-Locker
4. Put that file '2' to Bit-Locker encryption '3' , set Bit-locker with password
5. Write the rar and bitlocker password on paper or some notes

[cryptosec.info]

Yes, save data on digital file are more secured. My self making secures data on my computer like this:
1. Save the mnemonic phrases on .txt file
2. Pack the file into file .rar with strong password set
3. Install Bit-Locker
4. Put that file '2' to Bit-Locker encryption '3' , set Bit-locker with password
5. Write the rar and bitlocker password on paper or some notes

"Yes, save data on digital file are more secured". Definitely NOT more secure. It actually is A LOT lot more dangerous.

By the time you were just saving the mnemonic phrases on the .txt file, if you had malware on your computer, they've already stolen your seed.

Also, that makes zero sense. Why would you risk saving your mnemonic phrases digitally if you were just going to save your password on paper in the end anyway? Why not just write your phrases on paper straight away instead of writing your zip/rar file's password?

[ganlianshifu1]

I choose two ways to save! Memory always forgets, so I choose ji.

The first way I took my pen and notebook and copied my mnemonic!

The second one is my screenshot mnemonic, and then print it out and save it!

[merchantofzeny]

i certainly prefer hard copies over digital ones. it is so much safer to have it written on a paper or even better etched on a metal or even wood rather than digitally which can be stolen or damaged.

Oh yes, thanks for reminding me about etching. I was actually interested on trying out pyrography using just a cheap lens, the seed might probably be the first one I'll burn into these plywood I have.

this is a valid concern but also someone has to be looking for it in that temp memory to find it.
imagine you see this written on a wall in the street:

Code:

0C28FCA386C7A227600B2FE50B7CAE11EC86D3BF1FBE471BE89827E19D72AA1D

it looks like random data and you may just pass it but in fact it is a private key and it may contain 1000 bitcoin!

Code:

5HueCGU8rMjxEXxiPuD5BDku4MkFqeZyd4dZ1jvhTVqvbTLvyTJ

so your malware, thief or whatever has to know you printed a private key, look for it in your printer's memory, dump that memory and find the private key and steal your coins.

I suppose the malware can simply track whether you have wallet software installed and only then it would check the printer memory? I was reading an article yesterday. Apparently even the pass phrase is not save anymore since they can just take a screenshot of the screen.

[Coffeehot]

OK, this would sound noobish but I'm interested to know how other people keep the mnemonic phrase generated by the wallet. I do have the wallets secured with a pw and backed up (still not enough to warrant a hardware wallet) but I also have the passphrases handwritten in paper (someone said be wary of printers) and stashed somewhere but I'm wondering if there's a better way to keep them.

I don't know any cryptography but I'm thinking of shuffling the words rather than writing them down in order. Like a 12x12 grid where I'd spread them out in certain patterns and then finished with filler words. Since it's no longer as straight-forward should anyone get their hands on it, I think it would finally be safer to keep digital copies of it. Any suggestions?

very interesting topic . i will convert mnemonic phrases to arabic numerals . each word as a group . each letter as a unit . such as :" good day"  it is "[7, 15,15,4][4,1,25]" the numbers are the order of letters in the alphabet . you can also assign a specific number to each letter .

[nankers]

OK, this would sound noobish but I'm interested to know how other people keep the mnemonic phrase generated by the wallet. I do have the wallets secured with a pw and backed up (still not enough to warrant a hardware wallet) but I also have the passphrases handwritten in paper (someone said be wary of printers) and stashed somewhere but I'm wondering if there's a better way to keep them.

I don't know any cryptography but I'm thinking of shuffling the words rather than writing them down in order. Like a 12x12 grid where I'd spread them out in certain patterns and then finished with filler words. Since it's no longer as straight-forward should anyone get their hands on it, I think it would finally be safer to keep digital copies of it. Any suggestions?

for safety, personally i save all important data in to flashdisk and im double save it to my computer. i use notepad to mnemonic phrase and for google authenticator im double too, save it to my phone and my computer too. cause i think this is a better way to save my private data

[otto2012]

Better keep it on a flash drive or memory card that no one could steal. The main thing do not use the online services like evernote and so on. There is always a chance that they will be hacked and stealing your data

[Don Pedro Dinero]

Written in paper, hidden among many other papers. Even if someone knew that I have them there, it would take him long to find them. I have two copies in two different houses.

[BrewMaster]

I suppose the malware can simply track whether you have wallet software installed and only then it would check the printer memory? I was reading an article yesterday. Apparently even the pass phrase is not save anymore since they can just take a screenshot of the screen.

yeah well if you have a keylogger they can simply notice and record every action you take such as keys you press on your keyboard, what you see on your screen, clicks of your mouse,... this is actually why air-gapped machines are used for generating your private keys and notion of cold storage exists https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Cold_storage

[Svelto]

I use the old and traditional way by writing down private keys and seed words on papers. I keep 2 copies, one in the drawer of my home and the other in my parent house. Currently, my portfolio don’t worth millions. If one day, my holdings are worth millions of dollars, I will keep one copy in several safes in banks.

[blockman]

I don't know any cryptography but I'm thinking of shuffling the words rather than writing them down in order.

But how you will identify it if you are about to retrieve the wallet? You have to put some hint of doing this. This came to my mind but I'm very easy to forget and my memory doesn't works well now.

I think it would finally be safer to keep digital copies of it. Any suggestions?

Keeping to a laptop that isn't in use anymore and you are the only one that can access that laptop will make it secure. Keeping some back up with a flash drive that's dedicated to be a storage of your private keys only.

[merchantofzeny]

I suppose the malware can simply track whether you have wallet software installed and only then it would check the printer memory? I was reading an article yesterday. Apparently even the pass phrase is not save anymore since they can just take a screenshot of the screen.

yeah well if you have a keylogger they can simply notice and record every action you take such as keys you press on your keyboard, what you see on your screen, clicks of your mouse,... this is actually why air-gapped machines are used for generating your private keys and notion of cold storage exists https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Cold_storage

Yes I've heard about that. Didn't had that option though coz I only have one laptop so I can't have any dedicated computer that won't connect to internet.

I don't know any cryptography but I'm thinking of shuffling the words rather than writing them down in order.

But how you will identify it if you are about to retrieve the wallet? You have to put some hint of doing this. This came to my mind but I'm very easy to forget and my memory doesn't works well now.

I think it would finally be safer to keep digital copies of it. Any suggestions?

Keeping to a laptop that isn't in use anymore and you are the only one that can access that laptop will make it secure. Keeping some back up with a flash drive that's dedicated to be a storage of your private keys only.

The "story" part gave me an idea. Maybe it can be encrypted into a poem that can be then memorized. Would be longer but seems easier to memorize than a random sequence of words. Thanks for the suggestion.

[romandos86]

I always keep my mnemonic phrases in the usb flash drive)And it is always with me in any case))

[blockman]

But how you will identify it if you are about to retrieve the wallet? You have to put some hint of doing this. This came to my mind but I'm very easy to forget and my memory doesn't works well now.

The "story" part gave me an idea. Maybe it can be encrypted into a poem that can be then memorized. Would be longer but seems easier to memorize than a random sequence of words. Thanks for the suggestion.

Wooah I remember someone suggested and created this type of encryption to his private key. Making a story with the use of your private keys will give confusion if someone accidentally sees your PK's. Thanks for reminding me about this type of sequence and the story thing.  This is familiar to me and it's a good way to protect it that way, you don't have to memorize it you only need some hints on what are the most important words.

[Chachacoin17]

But how you will identify it if you are about to retrieve the wallet? You have to put some hint of doing this. This came to my mind but I'm very easy to forget and my memory doesn't works well now.

The "story" part gave me an idea. Maybe it can be encrypted into a poem that can be then memorized. Would be longer but seems easier to memorize than a random sequence of words. Thanks for the suggestion.

Wooah I remember someone suggested and created this type of encryption to his private key. Making a story with the use of your private keys will give confusion if someone accidentally sees your PK's. Thanks for reminding me about this type of sequence and the story thing.  This is familiar to me and it's a good way to protect it that way, you don't have to memorize it you only need some hints on what are the most important words.

Mnemonic is an unencrypted private key. If it's discover by unauthorized parties, then they can have complete access to it. The following are the key points to remember.

1. Back up mnemonic immediately, when you create a wallet in imToken
2. Copy mnemonic on a piece of paper, don't use screenshots.
3. Ensure the mnemonic is correct, you can check out by Myetherwallet.
4. Keep your mnemonic safe when you save it.

Anyone who discovers the phrase can steal the bitcoins, so it must be kept safe like cash. Never type it on a website.

[maxim000]

Since I only have one wallet and one mnemonic phrase, hence I have crammed up that line in my mind. I do not trust physical or virtual memory and hence memorizing it was the best option I had. I feel there isn't anything which is as secure as this is. But, if I hadn't memorized, I would have probably stored it on google drive.