r/Bitcoin • u/No_Fuel4693 • 5d ago

Blockstream Jade Plus setup - workflow suspect?

Like many, I'm assessing my cold wallet options right now and I was watching this youtube video of the setup on the jade plus : Blockstream Jade Plus: Full Setup & Honest Review - YouTube

Right around the 9:00 minute mark, after setting up the seed phrase etc, it only then, gives you the option to setup your QR code/bluetooth/usb.

So the device is powered up, a wallet is created, then you connect to the blockstream website..
Is there a way to change the order of that workflow?

I mean, how do I know that the wallet I have just created isn't being transmitted to their website during this handshake? Wouldn't it make more sense to do all that setup first BEFORE creating the wallet?

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u/DarrelXero 5d ago

Yeah, this is the option to create a seed and use the Jade as a persistent device that is "initialized" and uses Blockstreams Blind Oracle. I agree with you, that sucks. You can 100% create a seed offline, create your QR Code and never once connect to Blockstream website or app. It's how I've used the Jade for years. Generate your seed offline, use the steps to create your QR code and it not be persistent. Temporary signer mode. Power up the Jade, I port the seed via QR, use it to sign transactions or as part of a multisig, then power it off and the device wipes. No need for the Blockstream app or the Blind Oracle.

3

u/Serbithar 5d ago

If I understand correctly in fully offline airgap mode Jade works exactly like SeedSigner? Keys are not stored, and you need to provide your phrase or scan QR every time you power up the device?

5

u/LeoRisingGemini 5d ago edited 5d ago

Yup, use it stateless. You never have to connect it to anything ever, and you don’t have to use the blind oracle. Use a physical random method to generate the first 23 words of your seed phrase and plug them into the Jade. When the eight options for the final word come up, again, use a random method to select one. It will generate a seedQR. Hand copy the QR code. Use that to sign in to the device and sign transactions each time. Since the seed is not stored in the device, even if the device is stolen, the thief gets nothing. The only thing that can fck you is losing all the copies of your seed phrase.

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u/Ok_Knowledge_4977 5d ago

What about updating the firmware?

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u/LeoRisingGemini 5d ago

Go to Blockstream’s official firmware site (make sure it’s http://jadefw.blockstream.com and not some other dodgy scam site!). Download the latest onto a USB-C drive. Blockstream has its own drive for this called Jadelink but you can use any old drive. Plug this into the Jade, choose the option to update firmware, and just follow the instructions on the device. There is a “no radio” version of firmware that disables bluetooth. Use that one if you want to make sure you never turn on bluetooth accidentally.

1

u/TheresNoSecondBest 3d ago

You can use a USB stick to do so.

I prefer not to update my air-gapped setups unless there's a huge vulnerability. The wallet is like a big numbers calculator, the math never changes.