How to Cold Store Your Cryptocurrency for Safekeeping
According to CipherTrace (which specializes in litigation tools and services for cryptographic markets), between 2018 and 2019, the amount of theft from cryptographic wallets exceeds $2 billion. Thefts and break-ins are caused by a variety of reasons: simple incompetence in cryptographic storage, as well as by companies that provide storage services. It is not unusual for holders of crypto currency to lose access to their wallets by themselves, one of the last known cases occurred in Ireland: ,57 million dollars couldn’t be confiscated from a detained drug dealer, which were stored in bitcoins. The problem was that the wallets keys were lost.
The most secure way is a cold storage — all account data and private keys are kept offline and all transactions are manual. This storage method is great because it is fully protected from hacking and interception of data, but it is not suitable for those who make daily transfers of cryptocurrency, it is simply inconvenient.
If you compare “cold and hot” wallets, you can give a simple example: A hot wallet can be compared to a wallet that can be lost and stolen. But you can always access your funds. A cold wallet is safe, and access to it is not permanent. You can also take or put money, but it will require a special code.
In this article we will tell you about the most popular types of cold wallets and we will analyze their pros and cons.
Types of cold wallets
All cold wallets have one common thing — the data is stored offline. However, there are several types of cold wallets, which differ in the degree of protection, physical embodiment and cost of the wallet.
Desktop wallet
Desktop wallets are also known for a high level of protection, in addition to the ability to store crypto currency offline. There are so-called “light” wallets weighing less than 1 gb, and “heavy” wallets weighing more than 1 gb. Two of the desktop wallets can be distinguished:
Exodus Wallet
Multicurrency wallet. It was created in 2016 and supports more than 100 crypto currencies, since 2019 has a phone application. The wallet allows you to export private keys that are created locally, and then to upload them back. Private keys can be discounted to removable media and downloaded only when the transaction is completed. If the user decides to leave private keys on the same computer where the wallet is located, keys are securely encrypted. In order to use your wallet ,there is no need to register or to download the entire blockchain — synchronization is taking place online. In addition to wallet services Exodus Wallet provides an integrated crypto-exchange. The installation file weighs 85 mb.
Bitcoin Core
Bitcoin Core is the official Bitcoin wallet. The size of the wallet is 160 gb, but according to the developers of the company, it’s better to give it a separate winchester with the size of 500 gb. From the security viewpoint, it’s suggested to install a security code or a seed phrase, which may consist 8 words. It is also suggested to copy wallet.dat file. — private wallet key, which will allow you to restore access to your funds.
Hardware wallets
Appears like a regular flash drive with an interface (screen, control keys). This wallet can safely store information about the balance and keys, full functionality is available only when connected to a computer, but the latest models have a special button that allows you to confirm the transaction without connecting to a PC. Each time the device offers to generate a new code-password to confirm the transaction, which significantly reduces the probability of hacking. After generating the code, you need to set a mnemonic phrase (seed) — it consists of 12 or 24 words, which are not related to each other in any way. Such type of wallets has a special protection system that allows you to connect even to potentially infected PCs. The wallets themselves won’t be affected by malware.
The obvious cons of hardware wallets are the following:
1. It is also possible to lose a device that is so small in size.
2. A physical device can easily fail due to a variety of damages.
3. It is not recommended to buy such wallets from “hand”, even from friends, as they can be pre-installed with malware.
As you can see, storing crypto currency with a hardware wallets is very safe and secure, however you should take care about the device. Many people who hold a large amount of crypto currency, in order to not to lose a hardware wallet, store it in a safe deposit box, depriving someone of access to it.
Popular Hardware Wallets models
Trezor One
The first hardware wallet produced in 2013 by the Czech company Satoshi Labs. The device has an OLED display with a pin code, public addresses and Seed phrases. Trezor One has won recognition from users due to its multicurrency and affordable price ($65), it is also considered one of the most secure hardware wallets.
Ledger Nano S
The wallet was released in 2016 by the French company Ledger SAS. Distinctive feature from the other wallets, is the Secure Element controller, which meets banking standards and is certified CC EAL 5+. Also, in order to work with each crypto currency you need to install a special application for this currency on the device, it is not quite convenient, however more secure. The average price of the device is $85.
KeepKey
The purse was released in 2015 in the U.S.. Distinctive feature is OLED display — 256 by 64 pixels. Due to this, you can fully see both the address of the wallet, and the seed phrase. Also, the wallet has a built-in exchange service ShapeShift — an opportunity to exchange crypto currency without entering the exchange. The average price of the device is $50.
BitBox01
Ionos Schnelly’s wallet was invented in Switzerland. In size it’s almost the most compact among all representatives of the hardware wallets. A distinctive feature is the availability of a backup — the card can be multiplied and kept in several places, by analogy with the seed-phrase. In November 2020, support for these wallets will be discontinued, but all owners will be given a 30% discount on the new model. The average price of the device is $55.
CoolWalletS
Developed in Taiwan by CoolBitX, which has long been manufacturing components for Visa and MasterCard. As well as Ledger Nano S has a security standard CC EAL 5+. This wallet works only through smartphones, connecting to them through Bluetooch. The average price of the device is $100.
Paper Wallet
In the age of technological process, plain paper has become a rather reliable method for storing cryptocurrency. With the help of special services, such as bitaddress.org, you can generate public and private keys, then writing them down on paper. You can also print keys as a QR code. To accept transactions with such a wallet, you provide the sender with a public key. To access the funds, you need to find any online wallet that supports your crypto currency. Enter your private key into your online wallet, thus integrating your funds into the system. However, you should understand that after this procedure your wallet will become “hot”.
The best of this storage method — paper wallet is free, its safety depends only from you. When storing a paper wallet to protect it from the fire, water and aging. Also, do not tell other people about where your paper wallet is hidden.
The disadvantages of this storage:
1. If your wallet is lost, it will be impossible to restore it.
2. Exposed to a physical damage.
3. After sending the transaction, you will have to create a new cold wallet.
Offline transaction signature
For this storage method, you will need two PCs. The essence is that the secret keys are never in contact with the Internet, but are stored digitally. Offline transaction method is suitable for people who do not make a daily transactions and have an access to two devices. The process is below:
- A hot wallet is installed on a PC with the Internet. The transaction is created without entering private keys and authorization.
2. The file with transaction is copied and transferred to the second PC without Internet, where private keys are stored.
3. The transaction is signed offline, copied and transferred back to the PC with the Internet.
In fact, you can do it with one PC and a USB drive. The USB drive will store private keys. Also, you can create a transaction without entering private keys and authorization, after disconnecting the Internet, connect the flash drive, sign the transaction, turn on the Internet. In this case, you should take care of the antivirus system.
The disadvantages of this method:
1. Using two PCs or a USB drive involves a lot of actions, which is time consuming.
2. You need to back up your keys in case your PC or flash drive fails.
Multi-signature wallet
This method implies the creation of a wallet, which can be only withdrawn on condition that the transaction is verified by a predetermined number of users. The maximum number of users who can hold private keys of the wallet- is 15. It is considered as one of the most reliable ways of storage, in fact private keys are not only stored offline, but also divided between different people. Often the wallet with multisignatures is used by large crypto-companies, whose management believes that individually employees can not spend the budget. Moreover, when creating this wallet, the number of required multisignatures is minimal. For example: if one of the six keys is lost, the remaining ones will be enough for the transaction.
The disadvantages of this storage:
1. If most of the keys are lost, access to the funds cannot be restored.
2. You will not be able to make transactions on your own without the participation of other key holders.
Private Key Fragmentation
The private wallet key consists of 64 symbols. The key is divided into several fragments. They don’t represent anything separately, but if you put all the fragments together, you can access the funds. The key fragments are similar to multisignatures, but in this case you don’t need a multisig-wallet, and the whole process can be done manually.
The disadvantages of this method:
1. If one fragment is lost, access to funds will be lost.
2. The maximum level of protection can only be reached when key fragments are distributed to different places, for example: bookshelf, safe deposit box, car. If you divide the key fragments and put them in different boxes — the required level of protection will not be achieved.
When writing down key fragments on paper, protect the key from fire, water and aging.
Conclusion
Digital currencies are not physically expressed and exist only in the digital code, so cold wallets that doesn’t have an access to the Internet, protect cryptocurrencies from the most important and common problem — hacker theft. However, holders of cold wallets need to understand that the safety of a private key depends only on them. There are different ways to store private keys outside the network, but each of them makes it difficult for the user to make transactions.
Hardware wallets that have been specifically designed for this purpose are considered to be the best option for storing cryptocurrencies. With their help it is possible both to store funds off the network and to make transactions easily, without risking the safety of a private key. If you use other cold wallets, it is recommended to combine them with hot wallets. Keep the required crypto currency for daily transfers on hot wallets, and keep all other crypto on cold wallets.
Please don’t forget to follow us on Telegram and stay updated!
