Trick PIN
A trick PIN is an alternative PIN that makes a hardware wallet do something other than unlock normally, such as opening a decoy wallet or wiping the seed.
What Is Trick PIN?
A trick PIN is an alternative PIN that makes a hardware wallet do something other than unlock normally. The term comes from Coinkite's Coldcard, where the owner can define several such PINs and choose what each one triggers.
The available actions include opening a decoy wallet with a small balance, wiping the seed, permanently disabling the device, or starting a long countdown before login. Some actions can be combined, for example showing the decoy wallet while the real seed is erased in the background. To someone watching, the device behaves as if the correct PIN had been entered, or as if it were blank.
Trick PINs are aimed at physical threats: a robbery, coercion, or a device that is taken and examined. They extend the simpler duress PIN idea, in which one extra code opens a decoy wallet.
The limits are human as much as technical. An action that wipes the seed is irreversible, so a tested backup stored elsewhere is a precondition. A decoy only convinces if it holds a believable amount. And a PIN that destroys the device can be entered by mistake, or by a family member who was never told about it.
PIN Protection is a security feature that requires a personal identification number (PIN) to access a cryptocurrency wallet or device, preventing unauthorized access.
Read full definition: PIN ProtectionA hardware wallet is a dedicated device that keeps private keys offline and signs transactions internally, so the keys never reach an internet-connected computer or phone.
Coldcard is an air-gapped hardware wallet for Bitcoin, made by Coinkite, that stores private keys offline and signs transactions without internet exposure.
Read full definition: ColdcardPlausible Deniability refers to the ability to deny knowledge or possession of cryptocurrency by using techniques like decoy wallets or hidden volumes, ensuring privacy under duress.
Read full definition: Plausible DeniabilityA Duress PIN is a special code used in cryptocurrency hardware wallets to trigger a response, such as wiping the device, in case of coercion or threat.
Read full definition: Duress PINA backup in cryptocurrency is a secure copy of a wallet's seed phrase or private keys. It enables recovery of funds if the original wallet is lost or damaged.
Read full definition: BackupReal-World Examples
Example 1: A Coinkite Coldcard Q owner sets a trick PIN that opens a duress wallet holding a modest amount. Forced to unlock the device during a robbery, the owner enters that PIN, and the main wallet stays hidden.
Example 2: Before a trip, a traveller defines a trick PIN that wipes the seed. If the device has to be unlocked under pressure, nothing remains on it, and the wallet is restored from the backup at home.
PIN Protection is a security feature that requires a personal identification number (PIN) to access a cryptocurrency wallet or device, preventing unauthorized access.
Read full definition: PIN ProtectionA backup in cryptocurrency is a secure copy of a wallet's seed phrase or private keys. It enables recovery of funds if the original wallet is lost or damaged.
Read full definition: BackupFrequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a trick PIN and a duress PIN?
A duress PIN is one extra code that opens a decoy wallet. Trick PINs extend that idea: on a Coldcard the owner can define several, each triggering its own action, such as opening a decoy wallet, wiping the seed, permanently disabling the device or starting a long countdown before login.
What do I need before setting a trick PIN that wipes the seed?
A tested backup stored elsewhere. Wiping the seed is irreversible, so without that backup the funds are gone. Also think about who else might enter the PIN: a family member who was never told about it could trigger it by mistake.
How much should a decoy wallet behind a trick PIN hold?
Enough to be believable. A decoy only convinces if it holds a believable amount, such as a modest balance. To someone watching, the device behaves as if the correct PIN had been entered, while the main wallet stays hidden.
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