Topic: The Newbie's Guide to Bitcoin Security (Read 1070 times)

I've read that before. It only talks about creating a cold wallet.


I just looked at the Ebook, it doesn't really go into security aside from creating a cold wallet and using Armory.. The "New to Bitcoin?" sticky doesn't either.

Just to clarify, this guide's primary purpose is to prevent people from losing their coins, whether it's from theft, ignorance, or anything else. There are plenty of guides out there already detailing what Bitcoin is and how it works. Creating cold wallets is useful, and it should be a part of this guide, but there is MUCH more to keeping your BTC secure than just that.

Newbie Section sticky has all you require.

https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/howto-create-a-100-secure-wallet-17240

Not sure where you have looked ...

http://www.freebitcoinguide.com/

also stickied at top of this page is topic New to Bitcoin? Start Here ... but probably needs updating by now.

With the barrier to getting started with Bitcoin becoming lower every day, we need to take into account that not all users will be as tech-savvy as early adopters. The average person is used to using credit cards or Paypal, where one has little actual responsibility over their funds. If one loses their Paypal password, they can just reset it via email. If one's credit card info is stolen, they can call the company and reverse fraudulent transactions. With Bitcoin, we are the ones in control. There is nobody who can restore your wallet if your computer catches on fire and you made no backups. If you purchase an item and the seller doesn't send it, you'd better have used an escrow service.

Sites such as WeUseCoins.org are great for getting people interested in Bitcoin and helping them attain a basic understanding, but we need to teach users about the fundamental shift in responsibility that comes with using Bitcoin, and make sure that they know what they're getting into if they decide to take the red pill.

We need to create a guide for newcomers that:

• Helps them understand how to keep their coins safe
• Teaches safe practices for backing up wallets, and how to avoid losing coins to the void
• Is easy to read and understand
• Assumes that they know as little as possible about computer security

I'm just going to list off some important stuff the guide should do for now, but I'll format this much more nicely / elaborate on specific points later.

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1. Teach the differences between types of wallets. Perhaps include a quick overview of the differences between Blockchain.info, Multibit (or Electrum), and Bitcoin-QT.

2. Teach the advantages and disadvantages of using each type of wallet. Make sure the user understands that when they opt for more convenience, they usually sacrifice security. Elaborate on how security is extremely important when you're considering storing a significant portion of your wealth in a technology.

3. Make it absolutely clear that with Bitcoin, all responsibility lies with the user. Make sure that they understand that their coins could be lost FOREVER if they don't take the necessary precautions.

4. Teach the user the specific precautions they need to take.

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I'll keep editing this post, so please fill this thread with suggestions to include or corrections to make!