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Where does electrum store the private key when unencrypted? (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Just wondering if there is a risk of it being recoverable after the transaction has been completed. I figured it would be stored in RAM and thus unrecoverable after powering down, but I can't seem to find anything on that.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

100% that's why they call it a passphrase and not a password, it would be foolish to use something that can be brute forced. Anyways, my question is specifically about the storage of the key when unencrypted, would you happen to know if it ever touches the hard drive?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

While I haven't read the source code myself, convention is that it would just be stored in memory, there is no reason for it to be stored on the drive and it would present security risks.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Okay thanks, that makes sense. I'm not highly technical so I'm just trying to run through every potential risk. That was the last thing bugging me.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Full-disk encryption with something like veracrypt can help mitigate any concerns about this. So long as an attacker does not have access to your computer while powered on (cold boot attacks/evil maid attacks etc), you are fine. For example, if a burglar absconds with your laptop encrypted w veracrypt and it's powered off? They're never getting the bitcoin wallet or anything else you had stored on there.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Thanks for the tip, I'll look into that