Hello,
I don't understand all this
paranoia with
offline wallets and the rest. An encrypted TrueCrypt container with the wallet + wallet encryption (bitcoin-qt 8 support encryption of the wallet.dat), should be enough to keep the "bad guys away" even if the steal your wallet.
Keeping regular backups or even syncing the container with a service like google drive, dropbox and the like will keep you safe.
However, these are the 2nd line of security. The first line of security is a computer (normal avg joe computer) that has:
1) Original Windows or MacOSX installed. If you don't want to pay use Linux and/or (Free/Net/Open)BSD.
2) If you use windows, pay for an antivirus or use MS Antivirus which is pretty good.
3) Update your software regularly.
4) Disable Java in your browser! Seriously you don't need that.
5) Enable a firewall
6) If you travel a lot buy a VPN. Connecting through public WiFi's all the time can be an issue on a computer that holds say 1.000 BTC.
7) Use encryption as much as you can BUT better *not* to use full disk encryption and use software like PrayProject which would help get-back your laptop as a last line of defense (If your important data such as wallet, important emails, etc. are encrypted there's no problem as long as you have a backup). Full disk encryption protects the data if the computer is stolen, but there's no way for the attacker to boot without resetting (erasing) everything so.. there's no "last line of defense" here. If you choose this path and the laptop/computer is stolen, then you're left with the backup. It's amazing how stupid laptop thieves are and how well programs like PreyProject work.
Don't download torrents (okay except from audio and video) or illegal software in that computer. If you need a program, buy it!
9) Use firewalls! IF you don't understand how they work (seriously, it's complicated to understand how a firewall works without knowing how network, packet filtering and the rest works) use a user-friendly commercial (yes pay for it!) firewall which monitors incoming and outgoing connections! MacOSX has the awesome LittleSnitch, costs a few bucks but it's worth the price!
10) Stay informed! User your RSS reader, or whatever you use to read news (you read news online right?) to at least KNOW when something big (like a javascript vunl) hits computers.
I believe that 99 out of 100 users that get attacked do not use half of these measures. If you do, you are certainly not going to need all that insanity of offline-online wallet like if your operating a bank.
HOWEVER, if you pass a threshold where your amount of BTC CAN be considered *big*, let's say 1.000 BTC ( now worth 46000 USD) then I'd say setup a computer with full disk encryption and the rest in your basement, offline keep your wallet there etc. but until you reach 500 BTC.. that's insanity imho. (the amounts are subjective of course)
