Ledger With Older Firmware For How Long?

[jerry0]

Can anyone who uses a ledger device tell me if you can use older firmware and continue using it with ledger live?  Are there people using firmware at least 2 years old or longer with the nano ledger s plus or the x and have no issue doing transactions?


How long can you not update and continue to use it?

[UserU]

Can anyone who uses a ledger device tell me if you can use older firmware and continue using it with ledger live?  Are there people using firmware at least 2 years old or longer with the nano ledger s plus or the x and have no issue doing transactions?


How long can you not update and continue to use it?

I'm not sure, but I never updated the LL's software when I got mine several years back.

However when I ran my app a few months ago, it suddenly loaded the latest changes. Likely it forced a download at some point because previously it would prompt users of a new release.

[joniboini]

I've seen you ask the same thing on another thread iirc. What makes you think you can get away with it, especially when you want to use it with Ledger Live? Maybe you can use hardware with old firmware on Electrum or other apps, but there's no guarantee they will continue to support that (unless you don't plan on updating your Electrum either). Why would you put yourself in a risky situation for no reason?

Just back up the seed and familiarize yourself with a better hardware wallet. There's no point sticking with Nano or Ledger, especially when we've seen people with hardware issues like dim screens, terrible batteries, etc.

[hugeblack]

You will reach a point where you will be forced to update the firmware, whether due to a security vulnerability or because you cannot benefit from the new features. Therefore, if you do not like the service approach, move to a new hardware wallet. There are many options.

[Outhue]

Are you trying to jailbreak something? Just kidding.

It seems you don't understand the importance of the latest  firmware updates, these updates comes with patches that fixed possible leakage in the wallets security, you don't want to mess with it.

If it's old you shouldn't be installing that on your hardware wallet, it is outdated and more vulnerable to possible attacks, always make sure you keep your crypto hardware wallet updated to the latest firmware.

Also make sure you get this done using the official hardware wallet platform.

[bitmover]

Can anyone who uses a ledger device tell me if you can use older firmware and continue using it with ledger live?  Are there people using firmware at least 2 years old or longer with the nano ledger s plus or the x and have no issue doing transactions?


How long can you not update and continue to use it?

There are important vulnerabilities that have been fixed in the past  like this
https://www.ledger.com/blog/security-incident-report

You should update your firmware from time to time.

Just remember to have your seed phrase BEFORE doing so, because the device may reset in the process.

If you don't have the seed, move your coins to a wallet you control before updating

[jerry0]

Bitmover, the thing is my firmware now is 1.1.0 and it doesn't have recover option on it.  If I update to 1.1.2, it will have recover option.


So are you saying update the firmware or not based on this?  The recover thing is the big thing here.

[ImThour]

I always prefer the updates drivers or firmware of any technology, just make sure it's a stabler release and not a Beta update or something like that.

Reason? Most of the time these firmware updates include fix for security vulnerabilities which the team found in the software. If you are using an outdated device, the chances that this attack which is now public will happen on you is more.

So, just for the sake of security, keep it updated.

[jerry0]

Firmware updates is almost always good.  The issue is the newer firmware will have recover.  And that is why I'm not sure if I should update the firmware or not. 

[bitmover]

Bitmover, the thing is my firmware now is 1.1.0 and it doesn't have recover option on it.  If I update to 1.1.2, it will have recover option.


So are you saying update the firmware or not based on this?  The recover thing is the big thing here.

Not all models have recovery  option. Ledger nano s doesn't.
Anyway  better to have recovery option than to be exploited and robbed.

[jerry0]

I know the nano ledger s doesn't have recovery.


The nano ledger s plus and the x does.


I still am using nano ledger s firmware 1.1.0 that doesn't have the recover option.  If I do firmware update, it would be to firmware 1.1.2.  I already didn't do the firmware 1.1.1 update.  So you are saying I should 100% do the firmware update to 1.1.2 then?  Lot of people suggested against this but if I don't do that, there would be issues if I do a transaction then right?

[tabas]

You will reach a point where you will be forced to update the firmware, whether due to a security vulnerability or because you cannot benefit from the new features. Therefore, if you do not like the service approach, move to a new hardware wallet. There are many options.

There you go @OP.
I remember at some point with my old ledger that I hadn't updated yet my firmware but then, there were some issues like the balance isn't loading. That is why you have no option but to update the firmware into the most latest for you to continue using it. That's what updates are for, and you won't be able to use it the way you wanna use it if the firmware is outdated.

So you are saying I should 100% do the firmware update to 1.1.2 then?  Lot of people suggested against this but if I don't do that, there would be issues if I do a transaction then right?

Yes and yes.

[jerry0]

Do you remember how old was your firmware though when the balance was loading?  Was the firmware at least a few years old and probably at least 5 firmware versions behind or so?  Or you don't remember that?


So as of now, I can't send or receive coins with my nano ledger s plus with firmware 1.1.0?  I haven't tested it but it might not work now If I try?  The thing is it's now on 1.1.2.  There is a 1.1.1 that I didn't do either.


Okay so you suggest updating the firmware.  But are you aware of recover right?  You only have a nano ledger s then or you have a nano ledger s plus or x?

[tabas]

Do you remember how old was your firmware though when the balance was loading?  Was the firmware at least a few years old and probably at least 5 firmware versions behind or so?  Or you don't remember that?

No, I can't remember how long was that because my ledger was also stuck for years and only touched it for few times. I can't guarantee and say that it's at least 5 firmware versions backwards.

So as of now, I can't send or receive coins with my nano ledger s plus with firmware 1.1.0?  I haven't tested it but it might not work now If I try?  The thing is it's now on 1.1.2.  There is a 1.1.1 that I didn't do either.

You can receive coins there for sure as long as you have the address correct. But it will only be updated when update to the latest version of firmware. Dude, just try it or if you don't want to then don't and deal with the backlog and outdated problems.

Okay so you suggest updating the firmware.  But are you aware of recover right?  You only have a nano ledger s then or you have a nano ledger s plus or x?

Yes I am aware, only the S.

[tbct_mt2]

I've seen you ask the same thing on another thread iirc.

jerry has that posting habit, asking same question in many topics.

You will reach a point where you will be forced to update the firmware, whether due to a security vulnerability or because you cannot benefit from the new features. Therefore, if you do not like the service approach, move to a new hardware wallet. There are many options.

It's safer and more proactively action to move funds to another wallet, that can be a better hardware wallet (open source) like Trezor. It is helpful to take action before anything unexpectedly happens like a sudden forced firmware update from Ledger.

There are some open source hardware wallets, not only Trezor.

List of open source hardware wallets

[libert19]

Can anyone who uses a ledger device tell me if you can use older firmware and continue using it with ledger live?  Are there people using firmware at least 2 years old or longer with the nano ledger s plus or the x and have no issue doing transactions?

I don't think you can continue using Ledger device without updating firmware, sooner or later you'll be forced to do so.

I have Ledger Nano S and I was forced to do update firmware, had device lying around for 3 or so years upon receiving it, tried to setup it year and half ago, could not do so without updating firmware.

[ABCbits]

I've seen you ask the same thing on another thread iirc.

jerry has that posting habit, asking same question in many topics.

On top of that, he's been doing this for at least 6 years. I've mentioned his behavior on https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5507651.msg64484742#msg64484742. As for question on this thread, he also asked same/similar question on these thread/reply,
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5509953.0
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5507744.0
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5507651.0

In addition, on subreddit r/ledgerwallet OP could find people's experience who doesn't update their firmware for long time.