Do you know how to protect your cryptocurrencies?

By Moris Beracha.- 

The bitcoins and the main cryptocurrencies in the market were designed with some important security patterns, which make them quite difficult to steal.

The fundamental aspects of cryptocurrencies include protecting user privacy, avoiding asset theft and avoiding harmful practices such as double spending.

However, there are some failures that are sought out by hackers, which allow them to take over and empty some accounts, leaving losses, in some cases, of thousands or millions of dollars.

According to the Bit2me cryptocurrency and blockchain academy, about a billion US dollars in Bitcoin have been stolen to date.

They recall the thefts in Mt Gt I and II, for a total of 769,408 bitcoins; the 173,655 bitcoins seized by the FBI when closing Silk Road; the robbery known as “Pony” Botnet, which stands out due to the number of machines involved, and which amounted to a total of US $ 220,000 in various types of cryptocurrencies that currently exist.

Given the latent threats, some experts in digital security make the following recommendations to have a safe and well-protected investment:

1.- Manage your own passwords. Leave the cryptocurrencies as little as possible in the hands of third parties and adopt measures regarding the pishing.

2.- Update software, antivirus and wallets.

3.- They recommend encrypting private passwords, for example, of the purses, with passwords or pins. Also, to make it difficult to decipher them, it is convenient to use complex passwords to encrypt.

4.- The use of password managers can be interesting, but it is necessary to write them somewhere else in case you lose access to the manager.

5.- If you decide to use online services, it is advisable to use double authentication or double security level.

6.- In case you use offline wallets, the best advice is to back them up and store them in different places. If any of them allow it, it is convenient to encrypt them.

7.- If wallets are used, it is advisable to confirm if they are HD or not. In the first case, it may be enough to backup the seed. In the second, it is convenient to switch to HD wallets, and, in the meantime, back up each transaction.

With these 7 steps you will be able to keep your cryptocurrencies safe and it is always necessary to be updated regarding security information in order to make hackers work harder.

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