Clear DefinitionsPassphrase (Seed Phrase context)
1 min read
Pronunciation
[pas-freyz]
Analogy
Think of a seed phrase as a master key to a building with countless rooms. Instead of carrying around a complex digital code as your master key, you carry a sequence of ordinary words that can be easily written down or memorized. When needed, these words can be converted back into the digital master key that unlocks all your cryptocurrency rooms.
Definition
A sequence of words (typically 12, 18, or 24) that serves as a human-readable representation of the cryptographic seed used to generate a hierarchical deterministic wallet's private keys. This mnemonic phrase allows users to back up and restore their cryptocurrency wallets without needing to record complex hexadecimal strings.
Key Points Intro
Seed phrases combine security and usability through several critical features.
Key Points
Standardized: Most wallets follow the BIP-39 standard, making seed phrases compatible across different wallet applications.
Deterministic: The same seed phrase will always generate the same sequence of private keys, ensuring reliable wallet recovery.
Entropy-based: Usually created from 128 to 256 bits of randomness, providing strong cryptographic security.
Multilingual: BIP-39 supports multiple languages, allowing users to generate seed phrases in their preferred language.
Example
When setting up a new Bitcoin wallet, you might receive a seed phrase like: "apple banana cat dog elephant fox gold hotel ice jungle kite lion". This must be securely stored, as anyone who obtains these words can access and control all funds in the associated wallet.
Technical Deep Dive
Seed phrases are typically generated following the BIP-39 specification. First, entropy (randomness) of 128-256 bits is generated. A checksum is created by taking the first few bits of the SHA-256 hash of the entropy. The checksum is appended to the entropy, and the resulting string is split into groups of 11 bits. Each 11-bit group corresponds to an index in a standardized wordlist of 2048 words, resulting in a sequence of 12-24 words depending on the initial entropy size.
Security Warning
Never share your seed phrase with anyone or store it digitally (especially in cloud services, email, or digital documents). Avoid taking photos of your seed phrase or entering it on websites. Be wary of phishing attempts asking for your seed phrase—legitimate services will never ask for it.
Caveat
While seed phrases are designed to be easier to manage than raw private keys, they still require secure physical storage and protection. A compromise of your seed phrase means a complete compromise of all associated cryptocurrency accounts with no recourse for recovery.
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