Bitcoin Wallet Security Methodology

[davidspitzer]

I have been contemplating my Bitcoin wallet and have adapted several well tested methodologies which seems to satisfy my two big concerns:

Security
Backup and Restore:


Here is my approach - I would love to hear feedback and your thoughts on it:


I am using Bitcoin Wallet Software 0.6.2
I use Google Drive. (storage prices are very cheap)
I Downloaded and installed TrueCrypt
In my Google Drive Folder on my PC, I create a 10 Gig TrueCrypt Container, using a very strong password

Note:Out of the box, if you upload a TrueCrypt container to Google Drive, it will appear in their system just fine. However, if you later make updates to anything in the container, it will not sync with Google Drive, meaning your files in the cloud will never be the most current version. There is a simple fix to this:

1. Open TrueCrypt.
2. In the Menu, Click Settings, then Preferences.
3. Uncheck: Preserve modification timestamp of file containers.
4. Click the Ok Button.

Now, when you make any change in the file, the file’s timestamp will change, which is how Google Drive knows a file has changed. This will trigger Google Drive to Sync the file.

I Mount the container as M:\ (letter is not important only that its consistent)

I copy the Bitcoin Wallet Software to M:\ and Run it once to download all the network data then quit the software
On my computer I go to my User... AppData...Roaming... and move the Bitcoin folder to the M:\
I Create a shortcut on the root of the M:\ with this launch string to look for the data in the new spot:
M:\bitcoinsoftwarefoldername\Mbitcoin.exe -datadir=M:\Bitcoin


From then on I can just mount the encypted Drive and use the icon to launch my wallet
I can also backup the unmounted drive file onto a thumb drive for offline backup although Google Drive allows me to distribute the file to all of my machines just by loading the Google drive software on it.

anyway that is my setup

I also have an online blockchain.info wallet that I use as my "checking account" I move small chunks of coins from my secured wallet "savings account" on my desktop to the Blockchain.info wallet for purchases etc
 

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[Boussac]

Interesting.
However what does the whole process tell us about the usability of a heavy mobile client requiring secure backups ?
That's why I recommend the Paytunia thin client for android : most people don't want to worry about backups and are better off with a wallet hosted on a backend server.

Besides, last time I tried to update Bitcoin Wallet on my Galaxy SII, I had to root the device to recover my key because some bug prevented me from signing any more transactions.

[davidspitzer]

Interesting.
However what does the whole process tell us about the usability of a heavy mobile client requiring secure backups ?
That's why I recommend the Paytunia thin client for android : most people don't want to worry about backups and are better off with a wallet hosted on a backend server.

Besides, last time I tried to update Bitcoin Wallet on my Galaxy SII, I had to root the device to recover my key because some bug prevented me from signing any more transactions.

I use a mobile client only for transitory funds (checking) the secured desktop wallet for the majority of my funds (savings)

[Stephen Gornick]

I Downloaded and installed TrueCrypt
In my Google Drive Folder on my PC, I create a 10 Gig TrueCrypt Container, using a very strong password

10 gig?  Yowza. 


Anyway, remember that a TrueCrypt volume is only as secure as your operating system.  If you have malware doing keylogging even a TrueCrypt with a very strong password does you no good.

For some, only an offline wallet that has an air gap to the network is considered to be safe enough.

[Lumpy]

For my savings, I've been using an offline brainwallet. I reboot into a clean USB Linux distro with no network access and use it to generate a Bitcoin address. I use the tools from brainwallet.org (downloaded to my flash drive) and a certain passphrase that is about 25 letters/symbols/numbers to generate the keypair. Then, I copy the public Bitcoin address to a text file, reboot, and send coins there. The private key isn't recorded anywhere, but both myself and my wife know the passphrase very well.

In the few cases that I've had to send money from savings, I've used Electrum's offline capabilities: Reboot into offline Linux USB, generate keypair, import keypair, make offline transaction, reboot, send transaction.

[nayrB16]

I just make a 10mb container put my savings wallet in there and upload it to Google drive and personal external hard drive then use different wallet for checking.

edit: I'm also thinking about uploading private keys to LastPass secure note

[coretechs]

For my savings, I've been using an offline brainwallet. I reboot into a clean USB Linux distro with no network access and use it to generate a Bitcoin address. I use the tools from brainwallet.org (downloaded to my flash drive) and a certain passphrase that is about 25 letters/symbols/numbers to generate the keypair. Then, I copy the public Bitcoin address to a text file, reboot, and send coins there. The private key isn't recorded anywhere, but both myself and my wife know the passphrase very well.

This.

I never understood the point in copying encrypted files all over the place and doing the hokey-pokey rain-dance between each step when you can just create a paper or brain wallet for secure cold/offline storage.

[davidspitzer]

I'm a big fan of distributed backup.

[coretechs]

I'm a big fan of distributed backup.

Me too, that's why I leave it to the blockchain!  If you have a lot of keys you need to backup then by all means secure your wallet.dat.  But if you just want to have a few secure offline/cold addresses, a paper or brainwallet is hard to beat.

Do you backup your secure TrueCrypt password in multiple locations?  If not you are exposing yourself to the same risk as losing/forgetting a brainwallet key so you might consider that for your backup scheme.