Can someone help me? Paper Wallet Question

[rafamadeira]

Maybe a noob question, anyway..


I keep my bitcoins on blockchain.info wallet. I have strong password and 2-factor key. But since last issues blockchain had, I decided to make a backup wallet, so I printed on a safe pc the paper wallet.

If I keep the paper safe, am I safe enough to wait for a decent and cheap hardware wallet?

[ecto]

your question is vague.

what is safe to you?

[Cointel]

What do you mean by "safe" computer? Why keep all of your coins online anyway? How often do you really spend them? The safest method is to generate new addresses using a computer that has never and will never touch the internet. Carry the necessary address generator on a USB stick. Generate quite a few address and print them out using a USB connected printer. Then send coins from blockchain to the new addresses you generated. Import keys as needed to actually spend. In the mean time, keep paper wallet safe. But ya, in all likelihood you're fine. The security level you enforce should depend entirely on how many bitcoins you have and how badly you want them in 10-20 years.

I like to send send a small amount to a bunch of addresses, say .1, that way I only have to import what I need and don't have to deal with change 

[rafamadeira]

What do you mean by "safe" computer? Why keep all of your coins online anyway? How often do you really spend them? The safest method is to generate new addresses using a computer that has never and will never touch the internet. Carry the necessary address generator on a USB stick. Then send coins from blockchain to the new addresses you generated. Import keys as needed to actually spend. In the mean time, keep paper wallet safe. But ya, in all likelihood you're fine. The security level you enforce should depend entirely on how many bitcoins you have and how badly you want them in 10-20 years.

I bought a netbook, printed paper wallet, then formatting Windows. I have a few bitcoins and I won't use the wallet for spends for some years.

[kthejung]

Maybe a noob question, anyway..


I keep my bitcoins on blockchain.info wallet. I have strong password and 2-factor key. But since last issues blockchain had, I decided to make a backup wallet, so I printed on a safe pc the paper wallet.

If I keep the paper safe, am I safe enough to wait for a decent and cheap hardware wallet?

Remember, the thing about paper wallets is that if you choose to send bitcoins from them to another address that you should send the entire amount.  If you don't, the bitcoins you do not spend will be lost somewhere.  Do some research on "bitcoin change of address" on Google if you don't understand how this works.

[kik1977]

Maybe a noob question, anyway..


I keep my bitcoins on blockchain.info wallet. I have strong password and 2-factor key. But since last issues blockchain had, I decided to make a backup wallet, so I printed on a safe pc the paper wallet.

If I keep the paper safe, am I safe enough to wait for a decent and cheap hardware wallet?

Hi Rafamadeira!

Noob questions are welcome! I guess it all depends on how secure your steps were.. How was the paper wallet generated? Was the computer safe/disconnected from internet/using a live linux version/possibly formatted after the wallet generation? How was the jpg file transferred to the printer? On a usb sticks? Was it formatted (deep format) after the use? Hopefully the file wasn't sent to the printer through a LAN.. is the printer keeping a copy of the last printed files? Is the paper wallet printed in 2-3 copies, each stored securely ina  different place?

If the amount involved is "big" (this is subjective of course) and the reply to the above mentioned questions is "yes", you are definitely secure..

[Cointel]

I bought a netbook, printed paper wallet, then formatting Windows. I have a few bitcoins and I won't use the wallet for spends for some years.

So your coins are at a blockchain.info address and you printed a back up of the wallet? Or did you actually send the coins to a new address? Was your computer connected to the internet when you generated and printed the address? Did you use blockchains paper wallet feature or a bitaddress.org type?