Coindesk Logo

CarbonWallet offers beefy security for storing bitcoins

CarbonWallet offers beefy security for storing bitcoins

CarbonWallet offers beefy security for storing bitcoins

A new bitcoin wallet service, CarbonWallet, uses passphrases to store bitcoins "deterministically."

A new bitcoin wallet service, CarbonWallet, uses passphrases to store bitcoins "deterministically."

A new bitcoin wallet service, CarbonWallet, uses passphrases to store bitcoins "deterministically."

AccessTimeIconMay 6, 2013, 5:26 PM
Updated Sep 9, 2021, 12:22 PM

Presented By Icon

Election 2024 coverage presented by

Stand with crypto

, a new bitcoin wallet service, is offering a new model for securely storing the digital currency.

Described as an "online deterministic wallet", CarbonWallet doesn't store bitcoins locally or on its servers. Instead, users create a passphrase that is turned into a 128-bit key, which is then used to generate bitcoin addresses.

"Your passphrase is your wallet access and wallet backup," the CarbonWallet site states. "Determined bitcoin addresses mean no need for a remote server to hold keys and no need to store keys on a local hard drive."

However - the approach also means users must ensure they don't forget or lose their passphrases.

"Without the passphrase your coins are gone," CarbonWallet warns. "There is no way to retrieve CarbonWallet wallets without the passphrase."

The site recommends that users write down their passphrases and keep them stored someplace secure. It also warns that users need to be alert to potential attempts to steal their passphrases via phishing, social engineering, malware or brute force.

"According to "how big is your haystack?" (o)ur passphrases would take five-hundred trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion centuries to break under a massive cracking scenario," the site states.

CarbonWallet's passphrases are compatible with both the Electrum bitcoin client and Brainwallet.org. That means users can take their passphrases to either of those wallets if CarbonWallet's servers go down, ensuring they can still access their bitcoins.

More details on how CarbonWallet works can be found at its page on the code-sharing site GitHub.

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information have been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of the Bullish group, which owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish group equity-based compensation. Bullish was incubated by technology investor Block.one.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.