After hearing the news of #Ledger willingly integrating a π-extraction mechanism into their FW if opted-in, I decided it was time to review #XUMM + @Tangem
This 𧡠is not sponsored in any way, & all of my praise comes from the bottom of my β€οΈ
[4/24] β 1β£ Hot Wallet Fundamentals β
βΆοΈ #XUMM is a hot, self-custodial ("unhosted") mobile-only #cryptocurrency wallet designed exclusively for the XRPL ecosystem, allowing users to securely store their private keys, make payments, and engage with the #XRPL via #xApps.
[5/24] β 2β£ Hot Wallet Fundamentals β
Regardless of how secure the app is, "hot" desktop & mobile apps have access to the internet & are only as secure as their weakest link.
Keep the following in mind:
πΈ Update your smartphone
πΈ Don't use public WiFis
πΈ Use strong passwords
β How long would it take an attacker to successfully exploit the app?
πΈ ~99 quadrillion years β secret number
πΈ ~228 years β 6 digit passcode
πΈ There is basically no pw-length restriction for the signing password β 200+ years (16 chars)
Following the implementation of the solutions, #Cossacklabs verified that 58 of the necessary 65 criteria were met, significantly reducing the number of unresolved issues.
Consider how much effort went into resolving all of that. π₯
Many cryptographic flaws and weaknesses, according to #Cossacklabs, were caused by insufficient security controls that were already in place but did not meet the highest criteria.
As a result, @XRPLLabs opted to re-implement the whole cryptographic layer, thereby building on existing solid foundations to combat certain sophisticated edge cases.
Key takeaways:
πΈ Even #XUMM is not foolproof
πΈ No secrets were ever compromised
πΈ Security has been upgraded based on WASP MASVS v1.5
πΈ @XRPLLabs team is capable of fixing code related security issues
πΈ Hot wallets will inevitably be attacked
[13/24] β 1β£ XUMM Tangem β Firmware β
There are @Tangem cards and #XUMM branded Tangem cards that both use one firmware that has been reviewed by #Kudelskisecurity with one exception:
The XUMM-branded #Tangem cards are not designed to sync the keys π
Not only can the firmware not be upgraded by design, but the #firmware can never give out your #privatekey because it is physically only feasible to communicate through #NFC while keeping the secret truly offline at all times.
[15/24] β 1β£ XUMM Tangem β Best Practice β
Here are some guidelines to make your cold storage genuinely secure:
πΈ Create a #PIN / Password on your card using #XUMM
πΈ Purchase 2 cards and configure your "Plan B" using the "Tangem Backup" #xApp within XUMM
[16/24] β 2β£ XUMM Tangem β Best Practice β
Additional suggestions:
πΈ Use 4 cards (2 #XRPL accounts) to separate your hot & cold wallets
πΈ Do not 'root' or jailbreak your phone and use your cards on it
πΈ Less is more, so use your cold storage to save your funds in the long run
Here are some mind-blowing #Tangem facts:
πΈ Tangem offers a 25+ year replacement warranty
πΈ Withstands environmental extremes
πΈ Withstands occasional mechanical deformation
πΈ Withstands electromagnetic pulse (#EMP)
. . .
[21/24] β 2β£ Tangem Card β Facts β
. . .
πΈ Withstands electrostatic discharge (#ESD)
πΈ Withstands X-rays
π Within limits defined in #ISO7810.
Further:
πΈ #Tangem App, an open-source in-house development, is capable of verifying the installed firmware on the card
. . .
[22/24] β 3β£ Tangem Card β Facts β
. . .
πΈ Works from -25Β°C up to 85Β°C
πΈ Works even underwater π
πΈ #IP68 certified
πΈ An Access Code may be set and even adjusted to prevent it from being removed from the card after it is set.
π If you lose this code, you lose everything.
[1/π§΅] A paradigm shift for the XRP Ledger is on the horizon βΌοΈ
It's a future that's:
πΈ Programmable
πΈ Automated
πΈ Compliance-first
Let's take a look at some of the fundamental arguments and work out what this will mean for XRP. π
[2/18] β 1β£ Status Quo β
To date, the XRPL is a so-called βfixed-functionβ blockchain, which only allows new native features to be added to the XRP Ledger if the on-chain governance process votes in favor of it.
If you're a pessimist, you would call this βpermissionedβ. π
[3/18] β 2β£ Status Quo β
But there are actually many benefits and advantages that support this approach, e.g.:
πΈ Battle-tested (i.e. Escrow, Paychannel)
πΈ Aggregated Liquidity (CLOB+AMM)
πΈ Automatic Version Upgrades
πΈ Higher Standards (More Audits and Performance Tests)
[1/π§΅] One of the more fundamental proposals became public today. It's a draft that lays out a path to an inheritance solution for the XRP Ledger. π§
In my view, this is so much more than βjustβ an inheritance solution.
[1/π§΅] There are people out there who still believe that there are ways to clawback XRP on the XRPL. π€¨
While this is NOT possible & is written all over the official documentation, there is one more argument that should hit the nail on the coffin.
The ULTIMATE reason why π
[2/14] β Tokens β
Whenever you hear βclawbackβ, you should automatically think of βissued assetsβ.
They are fungible and come in many forms and structures:
πΈ IOUs
πΈ Stablecoins
πΈ Multi-Purpose (later this year)
Anyone can issue these kinds of tokens on the XRP Ledger.
[3/14] β Structure β
On the XRPL, all currently issued token holdings exist via so-called βtrust linesβ, i.e. an accounting relationship between a person holding a token & the issuer.
In other words, something to prevent you from holding a token that you don't want.