5 ms·

vitalik (ethereum founder) used an interesting system. He split the key in 2. Wrote both on paper. Gave 1 paper to family and kept the other. Even if the police

vitalik (ethereum founder) used an interesting system. He split the key in 2. Wrote both on paper. Gave 1 paper to family and kept the other. Even if the police raid him (hypothetically), they cannot raid the houses of his family and friends at the same time This way the police or anybody else cannot get your private key.

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diego 5y ago
No, but if you don't have your half memorized and they take it from you, the other half is useless. This is more useful if you want to leave your crypto to your family if you die, provided that you make it easy for them to find your half if you're not around.
- AlexanderTheGr8 5y ago
  Excellent point! I never considered this.
chrisfosterelli 5y ago
> Even if the police raid him (hypothetically), they cannot raid the houses of his family and friends at the same time ...why not? Police coordinate raids all the time.
- AlexanderTheGr8 5y ago
  How many raids? 1 on him, 5 on family, 20 on friends? Isn't that impractical? Also how were the police supposed to know that he used this system?
  - giaour 5y ago
    I mean, he announced it publicly. The police would know from his popular blog.
  - grumple 5y ago
    You really think the government would have trouble doing a handful of raids at once? They have enough officers to do a thousand raids at once. The FBI and Interpol did just that recently, coordinated across more than a dozen countries: https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/800-criminals-arrested-in-biggest-ever-law-enforcement-operation-against-encrypted-communication https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/800-...
- baybal2 5y ago
  The probability of Russian police coordinating a raid with the NYC police is 0.00%
paulpauper 5y ago
or you end up with a useless half key or your trusted accomplice helps in the investigation
- AlexanderTheGr8 5y ago
  The police don't know that you split the key. But I get what you mean. I am sure there are better ways to hide private keys. Encrypting it with a good password that you remember and then printing the encrypted keys comes to mind.
  - hungryforcodes 5y ago
    Wait but didn't Vitalik announce he split it on his blog or Twitter?
throwhauser 5y ago
The police wouldn't have to raid the family members, they'd likely give up what they know immediately, to avoid become accessories to whatever crime the police were alleging.

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diego 5y ago

No, but if you don't have your half memorized and they take it from you, the other half is useless. This is more useful if you want to leave your crypto to your family if you die, provided that you make it easy for them to find your half if you're not around.

AlexanderTheGr8 5y ago
Excellent point! I never considered this.

chrisfosterelli 5y ago

> Even if the police raid him (hypothetically), they cannot raid the houses of his family and friends at the same time ...why not? Police coordinate raids all the time.

AlexanderTheGr8 5y ago
How many raids? 1 on him, 5 on family, 20 on friends? Isn't that impractical? Also how were the police supposed to know that he used this system?
- giaour 5y ago
  I mean, he announced it publicly. The police would know from his popular blog.
- grumple 5y ago
  You really think the government would have trouble doing a handful of raids at once? They have enough officers to do a thousand raids at once. The FBI and Interpol did just that recently, coordinated across more than a dozen countries: https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/800-criminals-arrested-in-biggest-ever-law-enforcement-operation-against-encrypted-communication https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/800-...
baybal2 5y ago
The probability of Russian police coordinating a raid with the NYC police is 0.00%

paulpauper 5y ago

or you end up with a useless half key or your trusted accomplice helps in the investigation

AlexanderTheGr8 5y ago
The police don't know that you split the key. But I get what you mean. I am sure there are better ways to hide private keys. Encrypting it with a good password that you remember and then printing the encrypted keys comes to mind.
- hungryforcodes 5y ago
  Wait but didn't Vitalik announce he split it on his blog or Twitter?

throwhauser 5y ago

The police wouldn't have to raid the family members, they'd likely give up what they know immediately, to avoid become accessories to whatever crime the police were alleging.