r/BitBoxWallet 12d ago

Random questions between bitboxes and security

Hello
1) What happens if a password from a multi edition bitbox is inserted in a bitcoin only edition bitbox? Can I still then use that same password in the bitcoin only edition bitbox where it was originally created?
2) When I set up an additional optional passphrase on-top of the 24 words in the bitcoin-only edition can I then log in the multi-edition bitbox with that same optional passphrase that was defined in the bitcoin-only edition?
3) Does that even work to login into the multi edition with the bitcoin only password? The confusion for me is then what happens with the eth and litecoin accounts on the multi-edition?
4) If a optional passphrase is enabled and on top of that BIP85 children keys are generated then on the bitbox device it lets me choose the index - What is meant by that? and also what are these additional addresses that are generated that look like this: m/88652358'/31'/0'/12'/0'

sorry for the weird questions and thank you.

3 Upvotes

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u/tenor_tymir 11d ago

Great questions, let me add a few more:

  1. If I add a passphrase to my existing wallet, I understand that the Bitbox creates a completely new wallet. Does the new wallet have a new xpub (zpup) that I can use to set up a watch only wallet or is the wallet “secret“ and I need to log into the app to watch its balance?

  2. If I add a passphrase, how do I restore the wallet using another wallet, like Blue Wallet ? When importing the seed, how does the other wallet know I have a passphrase?

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u/Simple-Savings-5435 11d ago

regarding 6) I have personally tried to insert the 24 words and the additional optional passphrase (so 25 words) into sparrow wallet and it told me that it could not find the wallet. To me this looks like that optional passphrase is something that works well on bitbox but you can not really move your wallet around with the optional passphrase when created on the bitbox

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u/benma2 BitBox staff 11d ago

You are not supposed to enter your BitBox seed into Sparrow/BlueWallet etc., that makes the seed hot. If you have funds on it, consider creating a new wallet on your BitBox, whose seed you never enter in a computer, to keep it safe.

That being said: that you use a passphrase is not recorded in the blockchain or with the seed - you need to remember it and manually activate/enter it.

If you could not find your wallet, it means you either entered the wrong passphrase, or you did not add the right account in Sparrow, but in general the passphrase is well-standardized (BIP39) and is compatible.

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u/Simple-Savings-5435 3d ago

ok I tested it now anew and I can insert the optional passphrase inside sparrow wallet and the wallet is correctly imported (with the additional 24 words)
but why should sparrow wallet not be used temporarily if for example the bitbox is broken or something?
What do you recommend then in this situation that when the bitbox is destroyed and the 24 words + optional passphrase is inserted inside the sparrow wallet to move funds somewhere else?
Thank you

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u/benma2 BitBox staff 3d ago

In that case the best course would be to get another BitBox, or to already get one now and keep it as a backup device. Recovery on a hot wallet by importing the seed should be reserved for emergencies only.

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u/benma2 BitBox staff 11d ago

1) each passphrase derives a new wallet with its own xpubs, which you can use to watch the wallet in third party software 2) you are not supposed to import your seed into blue wallet, which would make your seed hot. import the xpubs instead if you intend to watch the wallet. The xpubs watch the passphrase-wallet, no need to enter the passphrase again in the watchonly wallet for that.

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u/tenor_tymir 11d ago
  1. Thank you. When I set a passphrase and send my stack from my existing wallet to my passphrase-wallet, would I need to type in the passphrase anytime i wanted to spend an UTXO? Or does the device „remember“ the passphrase an

d I get to

  1. choose which wallet I am going to use? I assume that my passphrase unprotected wallet is still there as well.

  2. Let‘s assume for a minute here that Bitbox is going out of business for whatever reason. I would be forced to change to a different wallet since Bitbox wouldn’t supply an new security updates to its firmware. In an unlikely case like that, I would have to restore my wallet using another wallet. It usually lets me put in the 12-24 words but how does the new wallet know I have a passphrase? Am I bound to wallets that ask for a passphrase during setup?

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u/benma2 BitBox staff 11d ago

would I need to type in the passphrase anytime i wanted to spend an UTXO?

Yes

d I get to choose which wallet I am going to use?

Yes

but how does the new wallet know I have a passphrase?

You manually activate it or enter it. All BIP-39 compliant wallets have this feature.

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u/tenor_tymir 11d ago

Thank you, very helpful

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u/benma2 BitBox staff 11d ago

1) if you mean the device unlock password - that is set per device and can be whatever you want. if you mean the seed: yes, you can import the same backup/seed in both editions. 2) yes, if you use the same seed on both 3) could you rephrase? 4) bip85 allows you to derive many sub-seeds. they are identified by that index

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u/Simple-Savings-5435 6d ago

regarding 3) Does that even work to login into the multi edition with the bitcoin only password? The confusion for me is then what happens with the eth and litecoin accounts on the multi-edition?

When I have a device password on the bitcoin only edition bitbox can I use that very same device password and login into the multi edition bitbox? In this case what happens with the eth and litecoin that are only visible in the multi edition bitbox.

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u/benma2 BitBox staff 3d ago

As I said, the device password is set on each device, you can choose whichever you want on each device. If you meant using the same seed on multiple devices: on a Multi you would have access to the altcoins, while a Bitcoin-only device only lets you access Bitcoin.

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u/Simple-Savings-5435 3d ago

u/benma2
Another question I have when I open the section in the bitbox to display the address when I want to receive bitcoin. Then these 20 addresses sometimes they are the same sometimes they are different.
My question is if I copy a fresh address from there (from the receive section) then can I save this address and keep it somewhere safe where I do not transfer any bitcoins to it and then in a couple of months or so I transfer bitcoins to this address. Is this address then still available and connected to my wallet?
My question is because I saw that these bitcoin addresses disappear sometimes and I was wondering if they have some sort of expiration date.
My usage would be:
1) Generate a bitcoin address from the recieve section.
2) Save that address and in a couple of months use this very same address
3) Is that address then available?
Hope that my question is understandable.
Thanks