Paper wallet, Encrypted keys, Safe Deposit boxes, multiple countries. You're all set.
Would you pay for such a service if it did exist? Offshore paper wallets in vaults in multiple countries with no extradition. ] 
Topic: Lenovo fingerprint reader for cold storage? (Read 1934 times)
what if you die? how will your coins be accessed?
no fail safe...
no fail safe...
Why would you need your coins if you're dead?
what if you die? how will your coins be accessed?
no fail safe...
no fail safe...
This was discussed at the 2013 conference. They have some ideas around this I think.
what if you die? how will your coins be accessed?
no fail safe...
no fail safe...
As far as I know, the fingerprint is binded with a password.
Hmm, so it is basically just inputting a password for you. That seems less secure since it would probably need to store the password on the computer.
Any thoughts on the most secure computer/OS for cold storage? Preferably something small.
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Just place the wallet file on a usb, safest option. or a paper wallet maybe?
Paper wallet, Encrypted keys, Safe Deposit boxes, multiple countries. You're all set.
All of the laptops/phones with fingerprint scanners have simple workarounds. Those scanners are there to stop your friends from snooping on your stuff when you're not there. It's not designed to stop an experienced thief from accessing your drives.
It also doesn't seem like ideal storage because if anyone breaks into your house, the first thing they'll steal will be your laptop.
I looked into all these extravagant cold storage options awhile ago until I realized that simply printing an encrypted paper wallet was the best and simplest solution. Assuming you encrypt the private key before printing it out (with a "good" cipher obviously), you can even leave the papers lying around wherever you want and they will be useless to anyone who finds them.
It also doesn't seem like ideal storage because if anyone breaks into your house, the first thing they'll steal will be your laptop.
I looked into all these extravagant cold storage options awhile ago until I realized that simply printing an encrypted paper wallet was the best and simplest solution. Assuming you encrypt the private key before printing it out (with a "good" cipher obviously), you can even leave the papers lying around wherever you want and they will be useless to anyone who finds them.
Use a yubikey, in addition to TrueCrypt and a good long password. Take out the yubikey when not in use and keep it on your person.
I'm sure a fingerprint scanner would be pretty safe to stop somebody booting up your laptop, but couldn't somebody just take the harddrive out and then put it in a external caddy and then have access to your wallet?
I'd just go with storing it on a usb or paper wallet.
I'd just go with storing it on a usb or paper wallet.
^
This | I work with Lenovo laptops that have fingerprint scanners. It does nothing to protect against a screwdriver. Yank the drive, put it in something else, and it's all there. Your Windows password is no protection at all. Disk encryption, or Truecrypt, or encrypting a wallet.dat however is very secure.
But still, a whole laptop adds a lot of complexity/failure points.
Also, a researcher recently came up with a technique that can take an impression of a fingerprint, 3D print that impression as a super thin piece of gelatin, and STILL fool a fingerprint reader that does validation for temperature ~= body temperature, as well as validating for the existence of a cardio-vascular pulse (just stick the gelatin impression on the end of your finger, Sean Connery style).
I'm sure a fingerprint scanner would be pretty safe to stop somebody booting up your laptop, but couldn't somebody just take the harddrive out and then put it in a external caddy and then have access to your wallet?
I'd just go with storing it on a usb or paper wallet.
I'd just go with storing it on a usb or paper wallet.
Even if someone is able to boot or not, if he have that laptop, OP's will loose his coins unless he makes backup somewhere which defeats the purpose of making a seperate cold wallet.
I mean for example, if hdd got crashed, laptop got stolen or if anything happend with his laptop. He will loose his bitcoins.
For safety he needs to make a backup.. something like paperwallet.
Then why not just make some paper wallets and use them as cold storage instead of buying a expensive paperweight.
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I'm sure a fingerprint scanner would be pretty safe to stop somebody booting up your laptop, but couldn't somebody just take the harddrive out and then put it in a external caddy and then have access to your wallet?
I'd just go with storing it on a usb or paper wallet.
I'd just go with storing it on a usb or paper wallet.
Mythbusters tested fingerprint scanners, and IIRC defeated them with a printout of their fingers that they either direct-scanned or lifted. LOL
A wise man once said that a fingerprint is more of a username than a password.
This. To op understand that biometrics aren't deterministic. The laptop records your fingerprint and then when a finger is swiped it compares the two and if they are close enough it decrypts the password and logs the user in.
Key thing is the software decrypts the password, as in the decryption key is in the software, as in someone could potentially extract said decryption key.
Or in worst case he can simply cut op's finger and use it to decrypt password.
Or he can put gun in op's secret places and ask him to finger his laptop.
Fingerprint security is safe but what about you and your finger op?
A wise man once said that a fingerprint is more of a username than a password.
This. To op understand that biometrics aren't deterministic. The laptop records your fingerprint and then when a finger is swiped it compares the two and if they are close enough it decrypts the password and logs the user in.
Key thing is the software decrypts the password, as in the decryption key is in the software, as in someone could potentially extract said decryption key.
A wise man once said that a fingerprint is more of a username than a password.
Laptop with fingerprint security... nah that would be too much for a cold storage.
Its much better to print a paperwallet and store it in a safe place.
Its much better to print a paperwallet and store it in a safe place.
I would think that the fingerprint offers only marginal protection. Why not simply install a system with full-disk encryption and a sufficiently long passphrase? Then whatever someone does / is able to do with your computer, the data is secure and not just protected by the operating system / BIOS not letting log in.
As far as I know, the fingerprint is binded with a password.
Hmm, so it is basically just inputting a password for you. That seems less secure since it would probably need to store the password on the computer.
Any thoughts on the most secure computer/OS for cold storage? Preferably something small.
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