Designers recommend dividing the seed following the Shamir Backup (SLIP39) method. The device allows you registering hexadecimal sequences of up to 123 characters.
On October 21st, the official launch of CryptoSteel Capsule, a solid metal physical device designed to store offline and autonomously private keys, passwords, mnemonic seeds and cryptocurrency wallet recovery data, was announced.
The British company Sword Ltd, which is behind the development of Cryptosteel, announced the launch of its new product through a tweet in which it presents the capsule, which can store important information in a hexadecimal key of up to 123 characters or in a key random sequence (ASCII) of up to 55 characters. The device contains a central column on which the user can manually assemble a sequence of discs on which the characters are recorded.
Among the specifications described on the company’s website, it is indicated that the device allows the user to register backup copies of private keys, simplifying the backup of the seed through the BIP39 process, which generates a series of mnemonic words to represent the wallet recovery phrase, such as 12 non-abbreviated words or 4-letter abbreviations of 24 words.
Likewise, designers recommend dividing the seed following the Shamir Backup SLIP39 method, with abbreviations of 4 letters of 20 word recovery seeds. They even advise using other techniques such as BIP32 root keys, WIF private keys or Monero mnemonic seeds, with 4-letter abbreviations of 25 words.
Other features described on the website emphasize the fact that it is a small and light object that is easy to hide and protect. However, a few hours after its presentation, a comment from Bitcoin developer Jameson Lopp circulated through social networks, in which he wrote about the impact that the device had caused to the authorities.
Jameson Lopp said that he had received a CryptoSteel Capsule at a conference in Germany. He placed the device in his hand luggage for his flight back to the United States, but airport security agents in Germany thought that it was a highly dangerous object, and so he was detained.
On other occasions, Lopp has noted that as a Bitcoin developer it can achieve “the highest level of security and redundancy with cryptographic tools.” Consequently, he has never used physical devices to store passwords or cryptocurrencies. However, this is something difficult for the average user to achieve. Lopp has said that he hopes that in the long term “the recovery of seedless wallets will become a standard” for the average user.
In 2018 the Bitcoin developer compared several cryptocurrency metal wallets, among which was one designed by Cryptosteel. Only two of these wallets were able to pass the different tests to which they were submitted by Lopp, namely Bitkee and Crypto Key Stack.
When it comes to keeping the private keys of cryptocurrency wallets, there are several alternatives. One of them was announced in 2017 with the launch of an accessory that fits in the palm of the hand. Chains with nameplates, bracelets, key chains and even lighters are part of the inventory to be able to carry the digital code everywhere without the need of a mobile device.
By Willmen Blanco
