7 Ways to Protect Yourself From Violent Crypto Attacks (Without a Shotgun)

2009 Webcomic XKCD Posted a tape This was exhibited by one of the most pronounced simpler concepts in Cyber ​​-Safe: “A key of a $ 5 key”. In the comic book, the stick figure explains how to bypass the sophisticated encryption – not with a code or rough force, but threatening someone with a $ 5 key until they give up on the password.

Unfortunately, the key attacks of $ 5 is no longer a striking line. Far worse attacks occur in real life, with alarming frequency. The criminals do not strive to hack private keys or compromise the seed phrases – they simply knock on the door, the kidnapping of the cryptocurrency owner and require access to wallets, often with violence.

The latest attack occurred a few days ago in Uganda, when the founder of Mitroplus Laboratory of Festova Ivaibi was allegedly He went near his house and forced to weapon to transfer cryptocurrencies worth about half a million dollars.

In France, a series of horrific abductions and attempts to abduct alarm the crypto community. Significant is that the father of entrepreneur is a cryptocurrency abducted in Paris earlier this month, He was cut off with his finger to press the ransom in the amount of EUR 5-7 million in the crypto currency. It was saved after a two -day temptation and five suspects were arrested. In the second incident, the pregnant daughter of Crypto -a her child was targeted in an attempt to abduct daylight in Paris, which the passers -by prevented. That was one of Six attacks that happened There since January.

In the United States, three teenagers were abducted by a man in Las Vegas in November after hosted by a cryptocurrency conference and drove him 60 miles away to the Mojava desert, where they demanded access to his crypto currency. They left him there after stolen four million dollars of digital assets. Two suspects, both of a 16-year-old from Florida, They were recently arrested And now you face multiple charges of criminal offense, including abduction and robbery.

Since Bitcoin has reached all top -notch in recent days, this target is greater than ever. So what can you do when you are the weakest connection in your safety lineup?

A growing tool class, installation of wallets and physical protocols that will defend themselves against coercion in the real world. Here’s how to start thinking like a cryptic-famed but extremely paranoid billionaire.

1. Multisig wallet

Cash for multisignatures require more private keys to approve a transaction. The usual setting is 2-o-3: two keys are required to move the funds, but there are three in total. If the attacker gets access only once – say, threatening you – then I still can’t dry your stakes.

Tools like Tinsel and Mash Allow users to share the keys at locations (one at home, one in a bank vault and one with a lawyer, for example), making the current theft impossible.

Potential Disadvantage: The attackers can simply force you to pray to one of the other keys owners to authorize the transaction.

2. Shamir’s secret division

A series of wallets, including Treasury model T.Support something called “Shamir’s Secret Sharing”, which sounds like a children’s book title, but is actually a cryptographic algorithm that divides your recovery seed into multiple pieces. You can distribute pieces to the people or places you believe in. Only a threshold number (for example, 3-in-5) pieces are required to re-assemble the key.

Another option is Vault12What allows you to assign the guards – family, lawyers or business partners – who help you regain your vault only when you need it.

Potential disadvantage: Like a multisig wallet, the SSS is just as safe as your Ko-shadow states are resistant to coercion.

3. Banknotes and decorations

A lot of walletssuch as Blockstream jadaSupport for the so -called “muffler”. Enter one PIN and access your real wallet. Enter the other – under the coercion – and opens the doll banknote with a modest balance. It can even wipe the device with a secret needle for emergency.

Probable negligence can be a great board if you are a quick speaker.

Potential disadvantage: If the attacker is chasing you online, you might know that you keep millions and not $ 267 that appear in your wallet.

4. Hiding traces

A great way to avoid the attack is that it does not look like a target in the first place. Privacy tools can reduce your visible trace on blockchain. For example, the CRIPTO Currency of the Monero (XMR) uses hidden addresses and ring signatures to make transactions almost unusual (Getmonero.org). Bitcoin wallets like Wasabi Implement Coinjoin, a technique that mixes coins with others to blur their origin.

Potential disadvantage: It’s pretty easy to figure out who the player is in big cryptocurrencies, whether they try to hide their wealth or not.

5. Immediate and remote deletion

Numerous good hardware wallets, including the vault and Ledger, offer this feature, which can be called in many ways, including the intake of a special pin that immediately bricks the wallet. Wallet a self -riot, once known for its extraordinary security to Feders turned it off And they arrested the founders on suspicion of money laundering, supporting remotely wiping by sending a special SMS. If you know what you are doing, you can find the Self -Self -Selfing software on the internet and refer to that feature.

Potential disadvantage: a bridge of wallets, while someone has a gun for your head is risky; SMS texts can be intercepted.

6. Cash of hardware wallets with air

Your average crypto billionaire holds his cryptocurrency in one or more hardware wallets. And if they hold them in their homes, not banks for safe deposits or secret bats, then they are well hidden. Devices like A cold map and Keystone Pro Use QR codes or SD cards to sign the off -net transaction. Even if the striker has your laptop, then they still need a physical device, a pin and (usually) another restorer.

Potential disadvantage: a highly motivated and violent thief probably forces you to access your hardware wallet. We all watched movies.

7. Bed on a panic buttons with GPS follow -up

The compact, worn emergency buttons were forever. They are fabricated for your garden variety, a paranoid person with a high net valuable, not a crypto of people. Devices like A quiet lighthouse You can call any phone number and send warnings with a user’s GPS location to certain contacts. It also contains two -way communication, allowing the victim to talk to their potential rescuers.

Potential disadvantage: Wearing a panic buttons signals to the potential robber to truly protect something currencye.