Attempting to crack the private key for a specific wallet, for example, would require the computation of 115 quattuorvigintillion different combinations-that’s a 78-digit number that looks like this:ġ15,792,089,237,316,195,423,570,985,008,687,907,853,269,984,665,640,564,039,457,584,007,913,129,639,936Įven the world’s fastest supercomputer-the IBM-built Summit, which consists of 37,000 processors performing 200 quadrillion calculations per second-would take an eternity to crack the private key to a specific cryptocurrency address using 256-bit encryption. While Keys.lol may capture the attention of digital treasure hunters, the way in which it operates demonstrates the security of blockchain technology.įor most cryptocurrencies, there are only 2^256 private keys in existence. The idea of miraculously stumbling across a Bitcoin wallet’s private key- say, any of the wallets on the Bitcoin rich list-is attractive, potentially netting lucky punters billions instantly. Brute Force Tools Illustrate the Security of the Blockchain The private key to every single Bitcoin and Ethereum wallet in existence is listed on Keys.lol-including Satoshi Nakamoto’s purported $8 billion Bitcoin hoard. In addition to generating wallet addresses from private keys, Keys.lol checks for previous transaction history and balance. Keys.lol, however, is a website that performs the same function as a brute-force private key generator, packed into a neat, streamlined package.Ĭreated by Netherlands-based developer Sjors Ottjes, Keys.lol draws inspiration from now-defunct private key generation platform Directory.io, but performs a convenient balance and transaction history check. There are several tools in existence that can be used to attempt this. Given a completely random private key, it’s possible to create a corresponding public key to check the balance of the wallet in question to determine whether it contains any cryptocurrency. The concept of brute-forcing cryptocurrency wallets is not new. Private keys can be lost in many ways-phishing hacks, malware, by accident or even by brute force–and given enough time, it’s possible to generate a private key that will unlock a crypto wallet that contains a fortune. It’s no secret that a cryptocurrency wallet can be accessed by a private key-a string of letters and numbers that, if revealed, allows all those who hold it access to the cryptocurrency held within.
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