I’ll admit it is still rare for your crypto keys to be hacked, but that doesn’t mean you should put any sizable cryptowealth at risk. Today I want to go over a super simple way to secure your Cryptocurrency. With the recent price appreciation, it is more important than ever to ensure your currency keys are not sitting on a computer connected to the internet waiting to be stolen. Regular cryptocurrency wallets are like credit cards, under the right circumstances and timing (a virus or if someone gains access to your computer) your private keys can be copied by a thief. Once the thief has your keys your crypto is as good as gone. Where if you have a paper wallet it is just like having your money in a safe. The only person that can get your money is the individual who gets into your house and manages to open your safe. Slap a password on the paper wallet and it is essentially impossible for someone to take your money.
Take a look at your portfolio and determine how much of it do you spend on a monthly basis. How much of your money would you like to save for the long-term? Once you have this figured out you are ready to create a paper wallet.
**Get a Printer**
Get a printer that connects to your computer via USB. If the printer has a wifi or Bluetooth function, ensure this is turned off. While it is unlikely anyone will hack your computer while you are printing a wallet, you might as well take this extra step since you are trying to be super secure. Note: if you have a super fancy printer that keeps copies of what you print, you should find a different printer. If you have this type of printer than you can probably afford a small simple printer :)
**Download a Paperwallet Generator**
Find a paper wallet generator for your crypto. There are so many currencies out there I will not list them all. I will post my recommended generators for Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum and Dash. If you would like a recommendation for another currency please let me know in the comments section and i'll post a recommendation. Below, download and save the generator for the currency to make your paper wallet.
Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash: [Click here](https://github.com/pointbiz/bitaddress.org/archive/v3.3.0.zip)
Ethereum: [Click Here](https://github.com/kvhnuke/etherwallet/releases/download/v3.10.4.2/etherwallet-v3.10.4.2.zip)
Dash: [Click Here](https://github.com/dashpay/paper.dash.org/archive/v3.1.0-dash.zip)
**Disconnect Your Computer from the Internet!!**
In order to ensure no one is snooping on your computer while you generate your paper wallet, disable the WiFi and unplug your ethernet cable. Alternatively, you can take your security up another level and download [An Ubuntu Boot Image](https://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop) and burn the .iso image to a DVD to create a boot disc. If you need help with this let me know! You can then boot your computer to the disc. This ensures that any malware on your computer will not impact your paper wallet security.
**Create your Paperwallet (Bitcoin, Dash and Bitcoin Cash)**
Now we are ready to create the paper wallet. This section is for creating a paper wallet for Bitcoin, Dash or Bitcoin Cash. Extract the file you downloaded and open the HTML file to load the paper wallet generator. When the webapp loads you will need to move your mouse around to generate a seed for the generator to use. (This ensures that you have a good random number for the app to use).
Next, Select the “Paper Wallet” tab to display a list of paper wallets you can print. Then hit the “print” button to print your paper wallets. That's it!
Alternatively, for even more security you can check the option “BIP38 Encrypt?” and type in a password to secure your paper wallet. This places an extra layer of security on your wallet. This way if anyone manages to get ahold of your paper wallet they will need to know your password or it will be useless. However, this is very risky; if you forget your password and don’t write it down, you will lose access to your crypto forever.
**Create your Paperwallet (Ethereum)**
If you would like to create a Ethereum paper wallet, the process is slightly different. Extract the file you downloaded and open the HTML file to load the paper wallet generator. Once the webapp is open, select a password you will use. At this time the password is required to protect the wallet file that is generated by this app. If you plan to just create a paper wallet then you can just type anything.
Now click on “Download keystore file”. If you decided to use a password you can save this file to your computer. The password will encrypt the file, so if anyone hacks your computer they will need to know the password. If you plan to just create a paper wallet then you can skip saving the file and click “I Understand Continue”.
Next, your private key will be displayed. Click “Print Paper Wallet”.
Finally, you will be presented with the paper wallet to print. Go ahead and print the wallet. Note: there is no easy way to password protect your paper wallet like the Bitcoin and Dash wallets
**Make Copies!!**
If you go through the effort to print these paper wallets, please make sure your create at least 2 copies. They are paper after all!! This ensures if one gets smudged or lost you have a backup. Store them in multiple locations and this will ensure that even in a house fire or other catastrophic event you will never lose access to your crypto. If you use a password protected paper wallet you can have your family or friends hold a copy in their possession. This ensures they cannot take your funds and ensures geographic separation which is the best way to preserve cryptocurrency private keys!
I also recommend a waterproof paper to ensure ink doesn't get smudged or tear. [View Amazon Product Link.](https://www.amazon.com/Teslin174ynthetic-Paper-Inkjet-Printers-Waterproof/dp/B01BIEPQSM/ref=sr_1_4?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1507521940&sr=1-4&keywords=waterproof+inkjet+paper)
Thats it! I hope this post empowers you to take control of your cryptowealth. Run through this process a couple of times and test redeeming paper wallets to gain confidence. Since cryptocurrencies are based on math, if you follow the steps you can’t mess it up. Just remember to make copies and if you decide to use passwords ensure you write them down somewhere safe or be something simple you can never forget. Let me know if you have any questions about this process. If you would like recommendations for other cryptocurrencies please request it below in the comments.
[](https://steemit.com/@richellis)
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