Cracking bitcoin wallets?

[CrazyFroggo]

I heard of an article about "hackers" trying to crack into a 70,000 BTC wallet, and was wondering if there's any tools out there on how to do it?
I already got a wallet that hasn't been used since 2017, and wanted to know if there are any good tutorials out there to successfully crack a wallet?
I do not know anything about the password of the wallet itself, and it is in the public domain (still has bitcoin on it), and I am aware that this isn't easy money, but it is worth a shot.
I decided to make a thread here because all the information that I've found is very vague on the subject.
If anyone has any suggestions or any help for me, go right ahead and reply to this thread, thanks.

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[HCP]

The short version is:

1. extract "password hash" from wallet.dat using the "Bitcoin2John" script (refer here: https://github.com/openwall/john/blob/bleeding-jumbo/doc/README.bitcoin)
2. run some sort of bruteforce tool to generate passwords and test them against the extracted hash

Most common tools used for Step 2. are:
- Hashcat
- John The Ripper

There is also btcrecover, which will create an extract from the wallet.dat and test passwords against it: https://github.com/gurnec/btcrecover/blob/master/docs/Extract_Scripts.md#usage-for-bitcoin-unlimitedclassicxtcore

Anecdotally, the performance of hashcat seems to be the "best"...

I do not know anything about the password of the wallet itself

This is going to be the largest obstacle... without any sort of knowledge of the number of characters or the types of characters used (lowercase? UPPPERCASE? numb3r5? symbo!s? whole words? etc) then trying to create rules sets to generate passwords to test could be quite difficult... and the possible keyspace is so large, that the whole process will likely be regarded as "impossible".

... and it is in the public domain (still has bitcoin on it),

Not necessarily. While the addresses listed in the wallet might still have BTC assigned to them, it's quite possible the wallet was modified to insert those specific public keys to make it appear that the wallet contains a large amount of BTC, however the encrypted private keys in the wallet do not actually match these addresses. It's impossible to tell until the encryption key is known.

and I am aware that this isn't easy money, but it is worth a shot.

Honestly, it really isn't... you likely have more chance of winning a lottery than cracking one of these "70,000 BTC" type wallets floating around on the internet

[pooya87]

things you find on the internet telling you there is some money in it if you could do something (like finding a wallet file and being able to brute force it) are always fake and most of them contain malware to steal your coins instead.
if those wallet files contained any amount of bitcoin they would have never been published publicly!

[NeuroticFish]

a wallet that hasn't been used since 2017

The fact a wallet file was not used/sync-ed for a while it doesn't mean the meaningful private keys were not extracted and the funds spent.
Also there's a good chance the file was edited for misleading, especially to convince you pay for it. See @HCP post:

it's quite possible the wallet was modified to insert those specific public keys to make it appear that the wallet contains a large amount of BTC, however the encrypted private keys in the wallet do not actually match these addresses

[ABCbits]

Suggestion? You should think about legality, ethics and/or morality concern of stealing someone's possession.

You're welcome to try cracking bitcoin wallet, but be careful when:
1. Downloading tools that can be used to crack bitcoin wallet, it's possible it contains malware/ransomware
2. Someone ask you money for wallet file that contains lots of bitcoin
3. Executing command/script that you don't fully understand (e.g. sudo rm -rf /)

[bob123]

1. Downloading tools that can be used to crack bitcoin wallet, it's possible it contains malware/ransomware

Actually all tools which promise to crack private keys or "wallets" are malware.
And i am quite sure that a lot of people download these from those low quality youtube videos showing how to "crack wallets".

2. Someone ask you money for wallet file that contains lots of bitcoin

This.
It happens so often.

If you bought a wallet file, you got scammed. As easy as that.

3. Executing command/script that you don't fully understand (e.g. sudo rm -rf /)

Psssst... don't tell him the secret command to crack bitcoin wallets!!1!1!!one!1!eleven!

[BitMaxz]

That's pretty hard to crack if it's not from you and the password is randomly generated.
Forget about craking the wallet if you are going to use an old PC(Which is very slow.).

But if you have a good GPU rig you might have a chance to crack the wallet.

Check this hashcat benchmark for GPUs just to get idea if what build that you can afford.
- https://github.com/siseci/hashcat-benchmark-comparison

[AmoreJaz]

a wallet that hasn't been used since 2017

The fact a wallet file was not used/sync-ed for a while it doesn't mean the meaningful private keys were not extracted and the funds spent.
Also there's a good chance the file was edited for misleading, especially to convince you pay for it. See @HCP post:

it's quite possible the wallet was modified to insert those specific public keys to make it appear that the wallet contains a large amount of BTC, however the encrypted private keys in the wallet do not actually match these addresses

high likely that he was deceived in buying a worthless wallet. scammers can "forge a wallet" and that means, if in case he will successfully crack the wallet, the wallet may turned out to be empty after all.

also, has the OP read this article or any related to this? at least give him idea that he may be falling to possible trap by trying to crack the wallet that he has. who knows, right? without any idea of the password itself, will be next to impossible to accomplish what he wants here.

https://news.crypterium.com/10-ways-to-hack-a-bitcoin-wallet-in-2020

[odolvlobo]

...
I am aware that this isn't easy money, but it is worth a shot.
...

How did you determine that? I propose that if you look at the numbers, you will find that it is not worth it.

[bigvito19]

...
I am aware that this isn't easy money, but it is worth a shot.
...

How did you determine that? I propose that if you look at the numbers, you will find that it is not worth it.

I see you sound defeated just like other people that mentions this topic. Its actually is worth a shot, its all about strategy. Remember its based on numbers yes the numbers are big but you can make those numbers smaller.

[bitmover]

and I am aware that this isn't easy money, but it is worth a shot.

Honestly, it really isn't... you likely have more chance of winning a lottery than cracking one of these "70,000 BTC" type wallets floating around on the internet

The only chance would be to find a private key that had a very poor randomness when generated.

But it is so unlikely to find a wallet like that in an article publicly shared across the internet.. And even more unlikely to be cracked by someone who doesn't know the basics about that stuff.

There is no easy money in bitcoin. And sadly it is what attracts the most people to bitcoin,

[odolvlobo]

...
I am aware that this isn't easy money, but it is worth a shot.
...

How did you determine that? I propose that if you look at the numbers, you will find that it is not worth it.

I see you sound defeated just like other people that mentions this topic. Its actually is worth a shot, its all about strategy. Remember its based on numbers yes the numbers are big but you can make those numbers smaller.

Even if you could make the numbers a billion times smaller, they are still astronomically huge. One billionth of 2²⁵⁶ is 2²²⁶ -- still not worth it.

[pooya87]

Even if you could make the numbers a billion times smaller, they are still astronomically huge. One billionth of 2²⁵⁶ is 2²²⁶ -- still not worth it.

true but also in the context of "encrypted" wallets, the number can be a lot higher than 2²⁵⁶ and the algorithm is a lot slower than just finding a private key.
and in the context of a "random file found or bought from the internet" the chance is simply absolute zero. there is not even a small chance because nobody sells legitimate wallets online!

[MrFreeDragon]

-snip-
1. extract "password hash" from wallet.dat using the "Bitcoin2John" script (refer here: https://github.com/openwall/john/blob/bleeding-jumbo/doc/README.bitcoin)
2. run some sort of bruteforce tool to generate passwords and test them against the extracted hash

-snip-

Can you please tell if you know - what is the bit security of the password from wallet.dat file? (i mean is it 160bit, 256bit, 512bit or more)

[bob123]

Can you please tell if you know - what is the bit security of the password from wallet.dat file? (i mean is it 160bit, 256bit, 512bit or more)

It depends on the chosen password.
To be more specific, it depends on the used charset and length of the password.

"abc" has a different security than "p4zzw0rd!".

[PrimeNumber7]

I already got a wallet that hasn't been used since 2017, and wanted to know if there are any good tutorials out there to successfully crack a wallet?

I can almost assure you that you do not have said wallet.

As others have mentioned, you have been scammed if you bought this wallet file under the pretense that it contains private keys that can spend valuable coin.

You may have bought an old computer of hard drive from someone who did not realize their old wallet files are still accessible. If this is the case, cracking the wallet is unethical if not outright illegal. The above is also one reason why, since becoming interested in bitcoin, I have never recycled/traded in old phones as I got new/better ones.

[MrFreeDragon]

Can you please tell if you know - what is the bit security of the password from wallet.dat file? (i mean is it 160bit, 256bit, 512bit or more)

It depends on the chosen password.
To be more specific, it depends on the used charset and length of the password.

"abc" has a different security than "p4zzw0rd!".

Yes, it is clear for me. The same for bitcoin private key - you can use number "1" as the private key.
I mean the maximum bit length security (like for exact bitcoin private key it is 256bit, for final address 160bit only) - what is the maximum possible bit length for wallet.dat file encryption?

[zasad@]

The simplest and most convenient program to remember a forgotten password is  BITCOIN PASSWORD RECOVERY
https://www.thegrideon.com/bitcoin-password-recovery.html

A beginner should definitely read this article:
   
There are 2^256 private keys out there: how big is that number?
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5147514

OP, it is practically impossible to hack someone else's wallet by brute force if his password is not 123456789

[bob123]

I mean the maximum bit length security (like for exact bitcoin private key it is 256bit, for final address 160bit only) - what is the maximum possible bit length for wallet.dat file encryption?

With encryption it doesn't always depend on the length of the password. Most encryption algorithms use a key derivation protocol.
Therefore the max bit security is capped.

For AES with a key length of 256, it is 256 bit. For RSA with a key length of 2048 bit, it is 112 bits.

[keychainX]

I heard of an article about "hackers" trying to crack into a 70,000 BTC wallet, and was wondering if there's any tools out there on how to do it?
I already got a wallet that hasn't been used since 2017, and wanted to know if there are any good tutorials out there to successfully crack a wallet?
I do not know anything about the password of the wallet itself, and it is in the public domain (still has bitcoin on it), and I am aware that this isn't easy money, but it is worth a shot.
I decided to make a thread here because all the information that I've found is very vague on the subject.
If anyone has any suggestions or any help for me, go right ahead and reply to this thread, thanks.

You wont be able to withdraw funds from such a wallet, its forged.

its a well known scam to generate an empty wallet, change one of the public addresses to an old dormant adress, and then sell it for a "cheap" price.

Ive personally opened two such wallets, and once you have the password, the bitcoin core software will crash as it will be not able to "decrypt" the private key.

If you still want to dig in, try hashcat.org or John The Ripper, you will most probably just waste your time. But Good luck anyways.

/KX