How to 100% Secure Bitcoin from Thieves / Hackers / Government???

[South Park]

I'm trying to improve/perfect as much as possible the security of my Bitcoin.

My current security is:

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4. Only access my BTC on a computer that I rarely use and update the virus software to stop trojan horse/remote access.


I'm wondering a few things though:

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2. Is there anything else obvious I can/should do to improve this process?

Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

Since you are using an antivirus I suppose that you are using one of the many versions of Windows OS, if you are really serious about securing your bitcoins then you need to use something else, there are simply too many backdoors and it is impossible to completely secure a computer with a Windows OS, it is better that you use one of the many versions of Linux, if you have no experience with Linux then it could take some time to get used to it but it is worth it since you will know the chances of losing your coins to a hacker will be low, also it could be a good idea to encrypt your computer just to be completely sure you are doing everything you can to avoid to lose your coins.

[vintages]

Keeping it safe is possible but nothing is 100% safe in this modern world so don't be too sure, new technologies are proving us wrong everyday.
Even the toughest device can still be cracked down if those hackers are determined to do so. However it's good to know the length you are going to secure your funds.
Though, I personally feel the major threat are the hackers and thieves, less threat might come from the government.

[pooya87]

it may just be me but i consider hardware wallets to only be good for when you have a large amount of bitcoin and also want to spend it regularly. otherwise they are not good for "storage". for that i still prefer cold storage where you choose a medium that is physically disconnected from the internet, and store your wallet/keys there. now that "medium" could be a piece of paper, wood or metal or it could be an operating system installed on a device that has no internet connection ever.

[xanxus.kun]

As true as 'ledger does not have your keys' may be at this point. Remember that much of their hardware and software is proprietary and closed source. We don't fully know what the software and hardware does or is capable of doing.

I totally agree with this one, I'd rather keep it simple save your keys on a small piece of paper. Put in a secured and safe storage. Its not that I can't trust those third party protection but its better to be safe than sorry right?

[ethereumhunter]

First, I would say you're doing good to secure your wallet.

As long as you save 24 word-phrase and have the back-up, you don't have to afraid if somehow the company closes their business because you can transfer it into another device. There are a lot of devices you can use, like for example, you can use electrum in the computer, android phone, or laptop. The other thing you can do is don't tell other people about how much bitcoin or altcoin you have, don't tell them where you store the wallet, and you're good to go.

[Kakmakr]

The hardware manufacturer designed the device to work with other wallet providers, so you only have to use the "seed" that was generated, when you configured the device, to enable you to "import" those coins onto other wallet provider's software. 

You do not have to use your hardware wallet with the software that were provided by the manufacturer, you can use it with other software to access the coins.    If the company goes bankrupt, other software developers will quickly jump at the opportunity to grab that market with all those customers. 

[antisocial77]

Whatever you do there is always a risk.those suggestions are good ofcourse but they only reduce the risk.shortly cyber world will never be %100 secure.

[BitValve]

The hardware manufacturer designed the device to work with other wallet providers, so you only have to use the "seed" that was generated, when you configured the device, to enable you to "import" those coins onto other wallet provider's software. 

You do not have to use your hardware wallet with the software that were provided by the manufacturer, you can use it with other software to access the coins.    If the company goes bankrupt, other software developers will quickly jump at the opportunity to grab that market with all those customers. 

The seed is actually the 12-24 word seed that you can only use within the hardware device (trezor etc..) in order for the device to recover your funds. Im not sure that you can use these words to recover wallet somewhere else, most probably not. After recovering funds you can then move those funds to any wallet provider software or hardware.

[petrcoin]

We should all be reminded that there is no 100 percent secure system or in this case your Bitcoin holdings and any assumption of its solid

security  would be dangerous and we should always be security conscious and practice those actions mentioned in previous posts. I think

using a hardware wallet would be excellent but I suggest to try to harden your pc security (e.g. use firewalls, antivirus, use VPN, password manager

etc) to make it more harder for intruders to attack your system.

[Lutpin]

The seed is actually the 12-24 word seed that you can only use within the hardware device (trezor etc..) in order for the device to recover your funds. Im not sure that you can use these words to recover wallet somewhere else, most probably not. After recovering funds you can then move those funds to any wallet provider software or hardware.

Technically the 24 words are a mnemonic phrase, from which the seed is created, which then in turn is used to derive a HD wallet from.
Ledger, Trezor and other hardware wallets did not invent the technology that is used to do that, they apply several BIPs in their devices for that.
To list them, there would be:
BIP39 - The wordlists used for mnemonic phrases and how to derive seeds from them.
BIP32 - The method to build HD wallets from a seed.
BIP44 - Extending BIP32 via defined derivation paths.

As you can see, the full path from mnemonic phrase up to the private key/public key pair is done using open source technologies, meaning any other software and hardware wallet can implement the exactly same method.
Such has been done ample times and there is a long list of alternative ways to get to your keys and thus funds in case you lose your device / it becomes unusable.


A few more points of information:

Both the Ledger and the Trezor do use proprietary software, but not in the process of generating keypairs.
slush and stick are co-authors of BIP39 & BIP44, and the founders of SatoshiLabs, the company selling Trezors. So while they created some of the software used, they have made it available to everyone.

[jake zyrus]

I believe you can't secure your bitcoin 100% from them. It is always prone to thieves and hackers as long as it has a value. As long as you monitor and keep them secure, even not with a hundred percent, then you can avoid and lessen the possibility of getting it stolen.

[Aiwei052289]

I only use windows defender anti-virus for my windows PC. Do i need to install a better anti-virus to
prevent my PC from a hacker? btw I also use ledger nano to hodl my coins.

[killat]

Holding your funds in a hardware wallet seems to be the best option for now.

Not sure if it's 100% safe, but I did not hear till now that a hardware wallet to be hacked. However, you should be very careful on how you keep your seed words.

[audaciousbeing]

I only use windows defender anti-virus for my windows PC. Do i need to install a better anti-virus to
prevent my PC from a hacker? btw I also use ledger nano to hodl my coins.

Windows defender to a large extent has been a life saver and I believe its sufficient enough to keep your system safe except its a targeted attack. Also, you might want to install another one if you feel that would give you peace of mind but be careful on the exact one you patronising so you don't bring in issue for yourself in a willingly manner.

Aside from the suggestions on the right way to keep funds safe, I think another way is to do right especially on the part of government. File your returns if needed, pay your tax as at when due and government would be the least of your headaches.

[BitValve]

The seed is actually the 12-24 word seed that you can only use within the hardware device (trezor etc..) in order for the device to recover your funds. Im not sure that you can use these words to recover wallet somewhere else, most probably not. After recovering funds you can then move those funds to any wallet provider software or hardware.

Technically the 24 words are a mnemonic phrase, from which the seed is created, which then in turn is used to derive a HD wallet from.
Ledger, Trezor and other hardware wallets did not invent the technology that is used to do that, they apply several BIPs in their devices for that.
To list them, there would be:
BIP39 - The wordlists used for mnemonic phrases and how to derive seeds from them.
BIP32 - The method to build HD wallets from a seed.
BIP44 - Extending BIP32 via defined derivation paths.

As you can see, the full path from mnemonic phrase up to the private key/public key pair is done using open source technologies, meaning any other software and hardware wallet can implement the exactly same method.
Such has been done ample times and there is a long list of alternative ways to get to your keys and thus funds in case you lose your device / it becomes unusable.


A few more points of information:

Both the Ledger and the Trezor do use proprietary software, but not in the process of generating keypairs.
slush and stick are co-authors of BIP39 & BIP44, and the founders of SatoshiLabs, the company selling Trezors. So while they created some of the software used, they have made it available to everyone.

Okay thats interesting info, that i did not have right in my head. Thanks for for clarifying it, Lutpin.

[BitValve]

I only use windows defender anti-virus for my windows PC. Do i need to install a better anti-virus to
prevent my PC from a hacker? btw I also use ledger nano to hodl my coins.

Ledger Nano and/or Trezor is a good choice ( please read the replies above). Windows are not very "keen" to protect you from "hackers" and/or viruses and i think that Windows Defender is not a good choice for AV. Why dont you download some of the Free Antiviruses available like AVG/Avast etc ?

[barbara44]

I think that you are still good with your forms of securing your account, but that number 2 is what I personally would not do, because it is not everyone that can be as careful as you, and storing your words in multiple places will surely expose you to the risk of being hacked easily because no matter what, those keys will be there for the next 10 years, and within that space of time, you would have done so many things that may even make you forget one or two places where you have kept the words.

My best bet for anything wallet, is just for you to write it out and then store it in your back, then you probably create just an email that you will never share with anyone or any site for people to know it exist, then you keep the words in there, I think two places is much more than enough.

[Duzter]

I don't have much of funds, upon the same I never consider the security to be a big threat. Most of my funds were in exchanges, gambling websites and online exchanges. Maybe this seems completely insecure, but this is far better to stay away from governments. Also I never reveal to an outsider that I'm cryptocurrency user which might create some threat for me from thieves.

[kecha1]

Make no mistake. Do not share your personal information with strangers. Do not make suspicious transactions.

[Nnuego]

100% is not possible as long as computers are involved.

Also if bad people know about you having a lot of Bitcoins, they could use traditional methods, like torturing etc.

The safest way then is never to tell anybody about the amount of bitcoin you have. Never disclose to anyone you're investing in bitcoin cos everyone is a suspect. Nobody to trust in terms of money issues. It's better to play safe and wise and in your dealings