41 sats \ 14 replies \ @Enemy_of_the_state 1 Aug \ on: You probably don't need a hardware wallet bitcoin
How do you securely pre-sign transactions without one?
You probably don't NEED to securely pre-sign transactions...
But you can also make your own cold wallet:
#569901
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Depends on your threat model...
Most people don't have 24/7 attackers trying to get unauthorized access using a vulnerability in their laptop's bluetooth radio in order to read the memory address that represents their private key.
Commodity computer hardware and FOSS software like Tails are already relied on for life/death situations where security is critical, its PROBABLY also good enough for pre-signing transactions too.
You don't need an artisan calculator to keep a secret.
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I think you should not be telling people what they "need". Especially if you are talking to so called "normal" people, because they have a tendency to greatly underestimate the danger of low probability high impact events.
I don't get why you try to insult cold card, by calling it a "calculator".
Cold card is obviously for advanced users, but that doesn't change the fact that if you want to hold your own bitcoin you SHOULD use a hardware wallet.
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Every hardware wallet advertisement tries to tell you that you NEED this level of security. I'm just saying, "you probably don't". And nobody is paying me to say that.
People are grown ups and can decide how to allocate their sats however they want. I don't give a fuck.
If you hold your own sats, you probably don't need to buy expensive ewaste to do it "good enough". Did I mention any hardware wallet by name? They're all ewaste (expensive calculators) IMO
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"I don't give a fuck."
I kind of do and that's why I am telling people here that relying on software wallets is not sufficient.
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How do you know what is "sufficient" for someone else?
I'd prefer that people learn how to keep a secret the old fashioned way (without relying on expensive hardware).
How did people keep secrets for thousands of years before the transistor was even invented? My point is that its not strictly necessary to use hardware.
Elon Musk likes to use the term "Idiot Index" to describe hardware/materials that cost substantially more than the raw materials that comprise them. Most hardware wallets sell for 60-90% margins. Very high idiot index.
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Running a software wallet on a mainstream operating system is a security risk.
"How did people keep secrets for thousands of years before the transistor was even invented? My point is that its not strictly necessary to use hardware."
WTF, man? What kind of analogy is this? Compromising a mainstream computer is not difficult (1) and happens all the time (2) and can be done and has been done en masse.
Also keep in mind that the current technology is way to complex for people to "learn to keep a secret". That's why a dedicated device (with proper user interface of course) is needed for proper security.
Also I think you are missing some very important thing here. It is entirely feasible that the following happens: 1. people store their money in software wallets, 2. for years nothing happens until bitcoin has very widespread adoption 3. somebody creates a malware using some OS exploit that steals money from many people's software wallets simultaneously.
So I would advice more people to use hardware wallets if possible.
And since "you don't give a fuck" I am not sure you really thought about the danger that this may pose.
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How is it at all safe to import the private keys into sparrow? I still don’t understand how to make a transaction while keeping the private key airgapped without a hw wallet?
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You can have a computer without wifi/networking, but that ain't the same entirely because you don't have a secure element. I think for most people though, that is WAY unnecessary... A TailOS usb stick with sparrow installed is enough, just remove the wallet on it after usage.
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