A Feature in electrum wallet

[Charles-Tim]

Electrum wallet does not use BIP39!

Correct. But this is completely off-topic and you are derailing this interesting thread. No one is comparing BIP39 seed phrase and Electrum seed phrase. While referring to HD wallet, seed phrase is the extended word. This is about HD wallet, not the difference between BIP39 seed phrase and Electrum seed phrase.

[o_e_l_e_o]

In Electrum wallet, nothing is called as wallet passphrase.

It is referred to as a passphrase extensively throughout the Electrum code. For example, here is where the prompt is defined:

https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/blob/f4f88f42942e7cc3d4bc67ba4fa8a24bbb996e83/electrum/base_wizard.py#L494-L498

Code:

    def passphrase_dialog(self, run_next, is_restoring=False):
        title = _('Seed extension')
        message = '\n'.join([
            _('You may extend your seed with custom words.'),
            _('Your seed extension must be saved together with your seed.'),

And here is where the passphrase is combined with the seed phrase:

https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/blob/f4f88f42942e7cc3d4bc67ba4fa8a24bbb996e83/electrum/mnemonic.py#L169-L174

Code:

    def mnemonic_to_seed(self, mnemonic, passphrase) -> bytes:
        PBKDF2_ROUNDS = 2048
        mnemonic = normalize_text(mnemonic)
        passphrase = passphrase or ''
        passphrase = normalize_text(passphrase)
        return hashlib.pbkdf2_hmac('sha512', mnemonic.encode('utf-8'), b'electrum' + passphrase.encode('utf-8'), iterations = PBKDF2_ROUNDS)

It is common practice to use the term passphrase to refer to seed extension words, regardless of which wallet or derivation scheme is being used.

[Shishir99]

My wallet is already encrypted and needs a password to make a transaction. I don't remember if I have seen the pin thing. Is the 3rd party 2fa thing available in Electrum, which may cost extra transaction fees?

Agbe is referring to a feature which is available on the mobile version of electrum.
In the mobile version of electrum, you can set a pin code which is a 6 digit number and will be asked from you every time you want to make a transaction. That's different from the 2FA code in the 2FA wallet that is provided by a third party called trustedcoin.

Okay. I got it. I did not install Electrum on my mobile device as I install many apps from unknown sources which may contain malware or viruses. Even though I check what permission that app asks for, still I don't want to install it on my Android as it's more vulnerable. As o_e_l_e_O mentioned, I also do not like enabling 2FA with 3rd party as it charges more fees and who knows, they may cause trouble sometimes.

[hosseinimr93]

As o_e_l_e_O mentioned, I also do not like enabling 2FA with 3rd party as it charges more fees and who knows, they may cause trouble sometimes.

I also don't like electrum 2FA wallet as it charges extra fee. But note that even if you use electrum 2FA wallet, you will still have full control over your fund and there won't be any trouble if you keep your seed phrase safely. Two of master private keys and all three master public keys can be derived from seed phrase of a 2FA wallet and if you have the seed phrase, you can disable 2FA at any time.

[Charles-Tim]

I did not install Electrum on my mobile device as I install many apps from unknown sources which may contain malware or viruses. Even though I check what permission that app asks for, still I don't want to install it on my Android as it's more vulnerable.

It is even better to have your wallet on a single device than two devices. If you have desktop Electrum, no point to also have it on mobile as that will reduce its security. So you are correct.

As for the pin, that is not that necessary as it does just the work of desktop Electrum password which is also needed for making transaction, checking seed phrase and private keys. If you use a strong password on your Electrum, you are good if not known to people. What that just make the pin unique is that it is different from the password, but if you are careful while entering your password and making sure no one is spying to know your password, you are good.

As o_e_l_e_O mentioned, I also do not like enabling 2FA with 3rd party as it charges more fees and who knows, they may cause trouble sometimes.

Not like the 2FA on those centralized exchanges, you have nothing to lose and you have no KYC verification to make. You can disable it just as hosseinimr93 posted already. Electrum 2FA is 2-of-3 multisig. You have 2 private keys and 3 public keys. One if the private keys is with TrustedCoin. You need 2 private keys for signing transaction, 1 from TrustedCoin and the other from one of the 2 private keys with you. If you disable 2FA, you will be able to use your first and second private key to sign transaction. People that choose to disable the 2FA are people that lost their 2FA device due to carelessness, or maybe you do not want to pay the TrustedCoin fee for signing transaction from their server.

It is worth knowing that 2-of-3 multisig is of higher fee than single sig and single pubkey wallet in addition to the fee of the 2FA wallet which is 2-of-3 multisig.

[o_e_l_e_o]

If you disable 2FA, you will be able to use your first and second private key to sign transaction. People that choose to disable the 2FA are people that lost their 2FA device due to carelessness, or maybe you do not want to pay the TrustedCoin fee for signing transaction from their server.

This is another reason I avoid using these 2FA wallets. Multi-sig is good not just because it makes your actual electronic wallets more secure, but also because it makes your physical back ups more secure. In a proper 2-of-3 multi-sig, an attacker needs to compromise two separate back ups to be able to access your wallets, which should be exponentially harder for them than accessing a single back up, and hopefully you have an arrangement where if one back up is accessed you will be aware of this and can take steps to move your coins to a new wallet. With Electrum 2FA wallets, this is completely lost, and your back ups are no more secure than that of a regular single sig wallet, since all the necessary keys can be derived from a single seed phrase.

[Shishir99]

For people moving from Windows, I usually suggest Linux Mint as a starting point. It is (as far as I am aware) the Linux distro with the most similar look and feel to Windows, so it eases the transition. It is also fairly newbie friendly and has a good amount of guides and troubleshooting online, as well as a good sized community which will help with any problems you might run in to.

I had a discussion with my friend about switching OS and he also suggested the same thing. Either Linux mint or ubuntu. If I switch the OS, I have a lot of things to do. My Computer drive has a lot of files which I have to move and rearrange everything. I don't know how secure Linux is. Since you guys suggested it, do you believe it is worth doing some work to switch the OS just because of the security reason? I heard Linux users can be targeted as well if a user is an average Joe.

[Cricktor]

If you can afford it, setup a cheap laptop, e.g. 6th- or 7th-generation Intel Core i5 which is not officially capable to run Win 11, with Linux Mint or Ubuntu as suggested. Those laptop are pretty cheap as companies are starting to replace them. Business laptops are usually better built and easier to replace parts.

Use this Linux system only for crypto coin stuff, not as a daily driver. Limit its exposure to everyday Internet stuff.

With that you could keep your current system and do your daily Internet shit on it (Internet shit is not necessarily meant negatively, it's just what people do day in, day out; your daily stuff should be kept away from your crypto stuff, though). Try to make a strict separation, it usually pays off with some more security because there's less exposure.
You then wouldn't need to migrate a lot of your data. Just move all your crypto coin stuff to the new Linux gear and also think about getting a decent hardware wallet, too, even if you're on a Linux box.

[FatFork]

Since you guys suggested it, do you believe it is worth doing some work to switch the OS just because of the security reason? I heard Linux users can be targeted as well if a user is an average Joe.

"Just because of the security reasons?" Well, for many people, that's the only reason strong enough to take the plunge and migrate to a Linux OS. But I suppose it ultimately depends on each individual's preferences and priorities. I think it all comes down to what you mainly use your computer for. If it's mainly for internet stuff, multimedia, and basic office tasks like text editing, transitioning to the new OS shouldn't be too challenging. However, if you're into gaming, heavy graphics work, CAD, video editing, or 3D design, you might face some difficulties with Linux. Many popular apps, such as Adobe's graphics and video editing tools, aren't yet available in Linux versions, making it a bit of a struggle for those specific needs.

As Cricktor suggested, getting a second device solely for a Linux system might be a good solution. However, if your budget is limited, you can also consider setting up your PC in dual OS mode. This way, you'll have the flexibility of running both operating systems on the same machine and selecting which one to boot every time you start it up. Additionally, you can explore virtual PC software, which enables you to run one OS "inside" another OS, giving you more options to experiment and explore Linux without fully committing to it.

[Shishir99]

"Just because of the security reasons?" Well, for many people, that's the only reason strong enough to take the plunge and migrate to a Linux OS. But I suppose it ultimately depends on each individual's preferences and priorities. I think it all comes down to what you mainly use your computer for. If it's mainly for internet stuff, multimedia, and basic office tasks like text editing, transitioning to the new OS shouldn't be too challenging. However, if you're into gaming, heavy graphics work, CAD, video editing, or 3D design, you might face some difficulties with Linux. Many popular apps, such as Adobe's graphics and video editing tools, aren't yet available in Linux versions, making it a bit of a struggle for those specific needs.

As Cricktor suggested, getting a second device solely for a Linux system might be a good solution. However, if your budget is limited, you can also consider setting up your PC in dual OS mode. This way, you'll have the flexibility of running both operating systems on the same machine and selecting which one to boot every time you start it up. Additionally, you can explore virtual PC software, which enables you to run one OS "inside" another OS, giving you more options to experiment and explore Linux without fully committing to it.

Well, I am saying this because I am already familiar with windows supported software which I use for editing videos and sometimes Photoshop as well. I do scan documents and I don't know if the Epson scanner and printer software is available for Linux or not. I am unsure if Canon has software for Linux or not. I understand that there might be alternatives for this software, But it takes time for someone one learn everything in new software. I have a secondary laptop which is a low config (It says intel Pentium 3558U @1.70GHz) I don't even know what generation is it. It has only 8gb ram installed and 120GB SSD. I guess I can use it for this crypto stuff. The dual boot mode seems good as well.

[lovesmayfamilis]

But it takes time for someone one learn everything in new software. I have a secondary laptop which is a low config (It says intel Pentium 3558U @1.70GHz) I don't even know what generation is it. It has only 8gb ram installed and 120GB SSD. I guess I can use it for this crypto stuff. The dual boot mode seems good as well.

Among Linux systems, there are options for weak computers, although your data with eight gigabytes of RAM will fit perfectly on other Linux that require more RAM.
If you do not need embellishments, then the choice of the Xfce desktop environment will completely satisfy you with its nimbleness and unpretentiousness.

[logfiles]

Well, I am saying this because I am already familiar with windows supported software which I use for editing videos and sometimes Photoshop as well. I do scan documents and I don't know if the Epson scanner and printer software is available for Linux or not. I am unsure if Canon has software for Linux or not. I understand that there might be alternatives for this software, But it takes time for someone one learn everything in new software. I have a secondary laptop which is a low config (It says intel Pentium 3558U @1.70GHz) I don't even know what generation is it. It has only 8gb ram installed and 120GB SSD. I guess I can use it for this crypto stuff. The dual boot mode seems good as well.

I had my old cheap HP laptop from China with 4 GB RAM and 1.6GHz Intel Celeron N3050 Processor Dual Core. 500 GB HDD and I could dual boot Windows 10 and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)
I don't think you will find many challenges with getting used to Ubuntu OS. If you do, you can search the so many forums dedicated to Linux, and you will get what you want.

[Shishir99]

Among Linux systems, there are options for weak computers, although your data with eight gigabytes of RAM will fit perfectly on other Linux that require more RAM.
If you do not need embellishments, then the choice of the Xfce desktop environment will completely satisfy you with its nimbleness and unpretentiousness.

I think most operating systems need less than eight gigabytes of RAM. I remember my old laptop has four gigabytes of RAM, and I replaced it with eight so I can browse faster. It had an HDD, and I replaced it with an SSD to work smoothly.

I had my old cheap HP laptop from China with 4 GB RAM and 1.6GHz Intel Celeron N3050 Processor Dual Core. 500 GB HDD and I could dual boot Windows 10 and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)
I don't think you will find many challenges with getting used to Ubuntu OS. If you do, you can search the so many forums dedicated to Linux, and you will get what you want.

I have a desktop for my daily use. So, I don't have to set up a dual boot on my laptop. I will consider setting up Linux based OS very soon (Whenever I have some time).

[Stalker22]

Among Linux systems, there are options for weak computers, although your data with eight gigabytes of RAM will fit perfectly on other Linux that require more RAM.
If you do not need embellishments, then the choice of the Xfce desktop environment will completely satisfy you with its nimbleness and unpretentiousness.

I think most operating systems need less than eight gigabytes of RAM. I remember my old laptop has four gigabytes of RAM, and I replaced it with eight so I can browse faster. It had an HDD, and I replaced it with an SSD to work smoothly.

I believe that most modern operating systems will accept and utilize whatever amount of RAM you have installed in your system (as long as you meet the minimum requirements). However, the general rule is that more RAM equals better performance. And since RAM is cheap these days, there is no reason not to fill as many slots as the system can accommodate.

[Shishir99]

I believe that most modern operating systems will accept and utilize whatever amount of RAM you have installed in your system (as long as you meet the minimum requirements). However, the general rule is that more RAM equals better performance. And since RAM is cheap these days, there is no reason not to fill as many slots as the system can accommodate.

These are old laptops. I don't even know how many slots it has. But eight gigabytes of ram is not bad for browsing only laptops as I do no nothing with that. As I said, I have a desktop for my daily use with 16 gigabytes of RAM. Most of the time my wife watches youtube with that laptop. Anyways, I am not sure if I should lock this thread or remain it open in case someone has similar questions.

[Stalker22]

Anyways, I am not sure if I should lock this thread or remain it open in case someone has similar questions.

Well, if it has served your purpose, I suggest you lock it. Most people tend to open their own topics when they have specific questions.