It is always a good idea to keep your crypto safe. With the current crypto boom and Bitcoin hitting its new all time high – it’s an even better time. While cryptocurrencies themselves are difficult to hack thanks to the powerful blockchain technology behind them, where you store them is key. Over the years many wallets and exchanges have fallen victim to hacking, where hackers have found loopholes or weak spots in the platform’s coding. In light of this, here are the 10 practical ways to keep your crypto safe.

10. Limit Access To Your Wallet

To the best of your ability, try to limit the access to your wallet as much as possible. This refers to using offline wallets as well as keeping your private keys safe. By putting the bulk of your crypto portfolio in an offline wallet you are ensuring that the bulk of your assets are completely off the grid in a non hackable deep, dark corner. When it comes to your private keys, do not share these with anyone. They are for your eyes only, though a copy can be kept in your will and testament.

9. Diversify Between Hot and Cold Wallets

Understanding the difference between hot and cold wallets is key to keeping your crypto safely. In short, hot wallets are typically kept online offering easier access to funds, while cold wallets are kept offline out of reach of potential hackers. As we mentioned above, keeping the bulk of your cryptocurrencies in an offline cold wallet is advantageous to ensuring that your crypto remains secure.

8.   Ensure Your Email Security Is Top Notch

Your email represents your identity online so ensuring its optimum security is essential. Having a breach in this security can lead to a host of problems, one of which is a compromise of your crypto assets’ safety. Here are some tips in order to ensure that your email is best protected:

  • Use strong passwords (aim for 10 characters, mix of letters and symbols, etc)
  • Check your SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) has the latest version of TLS (Transport Layer Security). This cryptographic protocol is essential to providing communication security over a computer network.
  • Ensure that you have an antivirus programme installed and that it is up to date.

7.   Keep Your Private Keys Stored Offline

We’ve touched on the importance of keeping your private keys safe, and we’ll touch on it again! Do not keep your private keys in your email or on a file on your desktop. Should the security of your computer become compromised, you will not only lose precious information, but your entire crypto portfolio too. Through paper wallets and hardware wallets, keep your private keys saved offline away from any potentially malicious activity.

6. Use An Efficient Operating System

Not only on your computer, but on your wallet software too. Ensure that you are constantly updating your operating system (OS) as often as bugs are discovered new OS versions are created to disable and disarm them. When it comes to Bitcoinw wallets, Tails OS and blockchain-based virtual operating system (VOS) are widely considered to be the most efficient operating systems.

5. Invest In Hardware Options

Another great option in our top 10 ways to keep your crypto safe is to utilize a hardware wallet. With a decade of crypto development behind us, there has been much innovation in the crypto space. This can clearly be seen in the hardware wallet department, which has created several options that store your cryptocurrencies on a small device. Connecting to your computer or mobile through bluetooth technology or USB, your crypto stays offline while still being easy to access. Good hardware options include Trezor One, Trezor T, Ledger Nano S and Ledger Nano X.

4. Backup Your Wallet

As cryptocurrencies are all codes, backing up your wallet is an excellent way to ensure that your crypto is always safe. If you want to really ensure the safety of your crypto, there are a few more steps you can take. Aside from regularly backing up your wallet of choice, ensure that your backups are encrypted, as well as keeping your encrypted backups in several locations should the original, or any, of the alternative locations be compromised.

3. Keep Your PC Secure

We’ve mentioned the importance of using a reliable operating system, but ensuring that it is always up to date is as important. The same goes for firewalls, anti-virus, and anti-spyware that you have installed, always ensure you are using the latest version. This ensures that any vulnerabilities in the code are addressed and overcome before it is too late. If you are using your mobile phone to manage your crypto, the same applies.

2. Protect Your Identity

When engaging online, especially crypto forums, keep your identity anonymous as best you can. Never discuss with other users how much crypto you have, or any sensitive information like private keys, email addresses, or which wallets you use. This goes beyond just forums, and should be practised in every avenue of the internet.

1. Install Two-Factor Authentication

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is an added layer of protection that keeps your portfolio under tighter lock and key. Setting up 2FA is simple and requires a separate app that will provide a code that you enter on the site you are adding the extra protective layer to. 2FA essentially verifies your identity by using a third party code. We recommend setting up 2FA on your Oobit account, which you can do simply by following this guide.

Keep Your Crypto Safe

This might all sound scary but by being vigilant, careful and taking the necessary precautions you will be fine. Staying safe online has become second nature, and when sticking to these pointers and making use of reputable platforms like Oobit, no matter which cryptocurrency you choose to invest in, you will be safe and secure.

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