[RFC] Proposal: Base58 encoded HD Wallet master seed with optional encryption [combined summary]



Individual post summaries: Click here to read the original discussion on the bitcoin-dev mailing list

Published on: 2013-12-26T11:48:12+00:00


Summary:

Jean-Paul Kogelman has updated a proposal on the Bitcointalk forum, making changes to the checksum and adding support for third-party KDF computation. The full proposal can be found at the provided link. The author of the post states that there have been no recent changes to the proposal, which includes expanding the salt, renaming the 'master seed', adding user-selectable KDF parameters, and a creation date field. They compare their proposal to BIP38 and question whether it could replace it.In response to the proposal, Mike Hearn points out that the proposal is not usable for SPV wallets unless it has a birthday. He suggests adding a UNIX time or a uint16 representing "days since birth of this specification" to solve this issue.The context discusses the usability of SPV wallets and the need for a birthday in order for them to function effectively. Without a birthday, scanning the blockchain can be slow and finding a fully indexed copy of the blockchain can be expensive and centralized. The suggestion is to add a UNIX time or a uint16 to address this problem.The document describes a method for encoding and optionally encrypting a Bitcoin HD Wallet master seed. The proposal provides two encoding methodologies in three lengths each, with one being a clear version and the other an encrypted representation. The proposed method uses various functions such as AES256Encrypt, AES256Decrypt, SHA256, RIPEMD160, scrypt, HMAC-SHA512, Base58Check, G, and N. It also includes test vectors and acknowledgements to related BIPs.In a forum discussion, Jean-Paul Kogelman proposes a Base58 encoded HD wallet master seed with optional encryption. Andreas M. Antonopoulos expresses interest in the proposal and calls it necessary and a great approach. Kogelman asks for feedback on the proposal but mentions that it is not yet in shippable form.The proposal by Jean-Paul Kogelman outlines a method for encoding and encrypting a Bitcoin HD Wallet master seed. It provides a compact representation of the master seed, making it easier to handle. A two-factor version allows for safe storage and creation of paper wallets by third parties. The proposal involves various functions and definitions and suggests modifications to BIP0038. Test vectors are provided, and acknowledgements are given to related BIPs and contributors.


Updated on: 2023-08-01T05:20:12.304613+00:00