Wallet Security Dos and Don'ts

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This article should not be considered as a replacement for the more in-depth articles on best practices, however key points in wallet security:

Do

  • DO seek to understand what you are doing, before you do it
  • DO verify understanding by testing with testnet
  • DO encrypt your wallet with a strong passphrase
  • DO use recommended software from the list at https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet
  • DO make multiple redundant backups of your wallet
  • DO keep your OS up to date and run a virus scanner
  • DO manage significant amounts in offline wallets
  • DO prepare for black swan disaster scenarios when dealing with large sums (e.g., fire & water damage, theft, head injury and death)

Don't

  • DO NOT trust an untrustworthy device or program to generate your wallet keys
  • DO NOT generate cold storage keys on Internet-connected machines.
  • DO NOT reconnect to the Internet a machine that has had access to cold storage keys.
  • DO NOT reuse a wallet encryption passphrases with online services
  • DO NOT store your wallet on cloud storage (Dropbox, etc.)
  • DO NOT re-use addresses

See also