Wallets · 14 / 86
Hardware wallets and cold storage
A hardware wallet keeps the private key off the computer you browse with. Offline reduces some risks. It does not stop you approving a bad transaction.
What offline protects
Malware on the laptop has a harder time copying the key. You confirm payments on the device itself. That confirmation is the point. Read the address and the amount on the device, not only on the computer screen.
What it does not protect
If you type the seed into a website, the hardware was pointless. If you buy the device from a stranger who set it up, the seed may already be theirs.
Buy from the maker or a shop you can check. Set it up yourself. Write the seed where a camera and a cloud backup cannot see it.
Check yourself
Does a hardware wallet stop a bad approval?
No. It shows you the approval. You can still accept it.
After this you can confirm the address on the device, and never type the seed into a page.