Hi thanks!
I deleted my message because I realized it's kind of off topic to this discussion. I generated a new topic instead. Sorry!
Topic: Why do all private keys generated with bitaddress have the same first character? (Read 1147 times)
October 31, 2013, 12:36:54 PM
October 31, 2013, 12:35:18 PM
Use armory, and enter your own private key (the random number soruce on your system could be backdoored)
get good random numbers(dice, geiger counter)
get good random numbers(dice, geiger counter)
October 31, 2013, 12:33:30 PM
Use armory, and enter your own private key (the random number soruce on your system could be backdoored)
get good random numbers(dice, geiger counter)
get good random numbers(dice, geiger counter)
October 31, 2013, 12:27:14 PM
It has to do with how it is hashed and the verison bytes that are added to the front of the hash. https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Technical_background_of_Bitcoin_addresses
October 31, 2013, 12:25:41 PM
I think it's similar to the way a random number between 1 and 1000 is much (much!) more likely to start with a 0 than a 1.
0000
0001
0002
...
0999
1000
etc.
However, I could be wrong. Maybe this is just related to the special Bitcoin Base58 encoding and there is a version byte or something.
0000
0001
0002
...
0999
1000
etc.
However, I could be wrong. Maybe this is just related to the special Bitcoin Base58 encoding and there is a version byte or something.
You are wrong, the first character isn't random.
Afaik it shows what kind of adress this is.
All Bitcoin adresses start with 1 and all private keys start with 5 (and there are probably more).
October 31, 2013, 12:23:20 PM
The last line is on the right way for the answer 
It is explained on the Wallet Details section
It is explained on the Wallet Details section
Quote
Private Key WIF
51 characters base58, starts with a '5'
Private Key WIF Compressed
52 characters base58, starts with a 'K' or 'L'
It just depend on the encoding format used, the key is randomly generated 51 characters base58, starts with a '5'
Private Key WIF Compressed
52 characters base58, starts with a 'K' or 'L'
October 31, 2013, 12:20:47 PM
I think it's similar to the way a random number between 1 and 1000 is much (much!) more likely to start with a 0 than a 1.
0000
0001
0002
...
0999
1000
etc.
However, I could be wrong. Maybe this is just related to the special Bitcoin Base58 encoding and there is a version byte or something.
0000
0001
0002
...
0999
1000
etc.
However, I could be wrong. Maybe this is just related to the special Bitcoin Base58 encoding and there is a version byte or something.
October 31, 2013, 12:17:42 PM
Hi!
I noticed that all the private keys bitadress.org generates begin with the number 5. Is this normal? Why is the first character not random?
I noticed that all the private keys bitadress.org generates begin with the number 5. Is this normal? Why is the first character not random?
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