How To Safely & Securely Be Your Own Bank

What Are the Risks of Paper or Metal Wallets? 1) The storage and care of the paper wallet itself. The Private Keys are stored on the paper wallet. The paper wallet must be protected from water and fire damage, as well as unauthorized viewing from cameras and protection from theft. 2) Paper and metal wallets typically, do not have a mnemonic backup phrase. If they are lost or damaged there is no way to recover your coins. To be the most secure with your paper or metal wallet: a) Never take a screenshot, photo or digital copy of the Private Key. Never store a copy on your computer or online! b) Laminate a paper wallet to protect it from water damage. c) Store your metal or paper wallet in a fire resistant safe to protect it from fire damage and unauthorized access. Remember, if you lose your paper or metal wallet, you lose your cryptocurrency on that wallet!

What Are the Risks of Hardware Device Wallets? 1) The storage and care of the hardware device itself. The Private Keys are stored on the hardware device itself. The Private Keys manage all of the different coin wallets that the device handles. Special care must be taken to protect the device from theft, water and fire damage. 2) The next level of risk is in the choice of your access PIN for the hardware device. The PIN is used to access your hardware device. It can be as short as 4 digits or as long as 8 or 9 digits. Do not use easily guessed numbers like your phone number or birth dates. 3) Finally and most importantly, is the storage and care of the Mnemonic Backup Phrase. The Mnemonic Backup Phrase is the only way to restore or recover your wallet if you should lose access to the hardware device due to damage or loss. To be the most secure with your mnemonic backup phrase: a) Never take a screenshot, photo, or store a digital copy of the mnemonic backup phrase on the internet. b) Store the backup phrase on a physical sheet of paper or card. c) Print the mnemonic backup in ALL CAPS, so there a fewer chances of misreading the words when it comes time to restore the wallet. d) Clearly label the backup sheet, to distinguish it from other backups. Laminate the paper or card to protect it from water damage. Store it in a fire resistant safe to protect it from fire and unauthorized viewing. Remember. if you lose your Mnemonic Backup, you have lost your means of recovering your wallet!

What Are the Risks of Using An Unsecured Software App Wallets? 1) If you are using a software wallet in a naked fashion, that is to say not secured by a hardware device, your risk is with the device that the wallet app is installed on. Your software wallet app contains the Private Keys for all of the coins that the wallet manages, which in turn is stored on the device the application is installed on. Therefore, the security of your Private Keys is dependant on the security of your smartphone, tablet, or computer. 2) The next level of risk is in the choice of your access PIN for the software app. The PIN is used to access your software wallet. It can be as short as 4 digits or as long 8 or 9 digits. Do not use easily guessed numbers like your phone number or birth dates. Also Touch ID is not recommended, since it will allow access to the wallet application to anyone with Touch ID access to the tablet or smartphone device. 3) Finally and most importantly, is the storage and care of the Mnemonic Backup Phrase. The Mnemonic Backup Phrase is the only way to restore or recover your wallet if you should lose access to the wallet application due to damage or loss of the tablet, smartphone or computer. To be the most secure with your mnemonic backup phrase: a) Never take a screenshot, photo, or store a digital copy of the mnemonic backup phrase on the internet. b) Store the backup phrase on a physical sheet of paper or card. c) Print the mnemonic backup in ALL CAPS, so there are fewer chances of misreading the words when it comes time to restore the wallet. d) Clearly label the backup sheet, to distinguish it from other backups. Laminate the paper or card to protect it from water damage. Store it in a fire resistant safe to protect it from fire and unauthorized viewing. Remember. if you lose your Mnemonic Backup, you have lost your means of recovering your wallet! What Are the Risks When I Secure the Software Wallet App With A Hardware Device? When you secure a software wallet with a hardware device, the risk to the software wallet is removed and put to the hardware device. The software wallet is secured by the hardware device, which means that any send transactions must be signed by the hardware device. The Private Keys will reside on the hardware device. The Mnemonic Backup will be for the hardware device, not the software wallet. The mnemonic backup for the software wallet may in fact be unnecessary unless, the software wallet holds coins that are not protected by the hardware device. What Are the Risks When I Secure the Software Wallet as a 'Watch Only' Wallet? In the simplest terms, very little risk since the hardware device bears the risk. When you setup the smartphone or tablet wallet app as a 'Watch Only' wallet, which is linked to a desktop or laptop computer web wallet, which in turn is secured by a hardware device, the tablet or smartphone can only view the wallet transactions. Any send transactions must take place on the laptop or desktop computer with the hardware device attached. The Private Keys reside on the hardware device and the Mnemonic Backup will be for the hardware device.

In this video tutorial we take a high level approach to the risk levels involved between Custodial and Self or Non-Custodial wallets, as well as a comparison of the risk levels between Software or Hot wallets and Hardware or Cold wallets.

What Are the Advantages of Using a Hardware Cold Wallet? 1) You control the Private Keys. 2) They are extremely difficult to hack, since the hacker must possess the physical device in order to hack it. 3) Many cryptocurrencies can be managed directly by the hardware device's companion application. 4) Many other cryptocurrencies can be secured and managed by connecting the hardware device to a third party wallet. 5) Your Private Keys are kept entirely offline and can only be accessed by physically connecting to your computer to sign a transaction. 6) A lost or damaged hardware device can be restored onto a new hardware device from the mnemonic backup phrase. What Are the Disadvantages of Using a Hardware Cold Wallet? 1) A hardware device can be more complex to use than a software wallet on your tablet or smartphone is to use. For example: Understanding when to refer to the device's screen for the next step in completing the transaction, or when to refer to the computer screen to complete the next step. 2) The view screen of the device can be difficult for some people to read. 3) There is a cost to owning a hardware device, where software wallet apps are typically free to install. 4) You must physically attach the device to your computer or laptop, or connect via Bluetooth on a smartphone or tablet, to complete transactions that require a signature. What Are the Advantages of Using a Software Wallet Secured By A Hardware Device? 1) All of the benefits mentioned above for the hardware device. 2) The Private Keys are stored and managed by the hardware device and are not stored with the software wallet. 3) One of the best ways to secure a wallet app on a smartphone or tablet is to set up a 'Watch Only' wallet, which links back to the laptop or desktop computer's web wallet, which in turn has been secured by the hardware device. With this set up your smartphone app will allow you to view your wallet's transactions, but not allow you to spend the coins from the smartphone. To spend or send coins you will connect your hardware device to the desktop or laptop computer to sign the transaction. 4) A lost or stolen tablet or smartphone can only reveal public information about the wallet's transactions. No coins can be transferred or spend from the smartphone wallet. What Are the Disadvantages of Using a Software Wallet Secured By A Hardware Device? You still have the same disadvantages as listed previously for the hardware device. You also have added a perceived layer of complexity to the process of sending a transaction. Since send operations cannot occur on a 'Watch Only' wallet, you must connect the hardware device to the laptop or desktop computer to sign the transaction.

What Are the Advantages of Using a Web Wallet on a Laptop or Desktop Computer? 1) You control the Private Keys, provided that you have chosen a non-custodial or self-custodial wallet. 2) They are convenient, easy to use and set up. 3) Many web wallets will support multiple cryptocurrencies. 4) Better security than that provided by tablet or smartphone devices, provided that your have installed good anti-virus, anti-malware and anti-spyware software onto your laptop or desktop computer. 5) With proper storage of your mnemonic backup phrase, you will be able to recover your wallet at any time. 6) Many web wallets will have an option to connect a hardware device which adds an extra layer of security to the use of the wallet. Note: This combination will be discussed in a later video. What Are the Disadvantages of Using a Web Wallet on a Laptop or Desktop Computer? 1) The security of the web wallet will be dependant on the security provided by the laptop or desktop computer. Anti-virus, anti-malware and anti-spyware programs can only detect infections that are listed in their database. Ensure that your applications are updated regularly to prevent infection. 2) The web wallet is not as portable as a wallet application on a smartphone or tablet. 3) Login accounts of the laptop or desktop computer which use Administrator privilege will expose the wallets to hacking attempts. Make sure that your login account is using Standard privilege. 4) Even though you have control of the Private Keys, they are stored within the wallet application on your computer and therefore susceptible to any malicious software that may infect your laptop or desktop computer. 5) Anyone who has access to the computer may also have access to the wallet application. 6) Biometrics are a poor substitute for strong passwords when accessing your wallet applications. Fingerprint scans may be convenient for most applications, but use strong passwords and two factor authentication when accessing financial applications.

What Are the Advantages of Using a Paper or Metal Cold Wallet? 1) You control the Private Keys. 2) Paper wallets are inexpensive and easy to create. 3) Metal cold wallets are durable and resistant to fire and water damage. 4) It is a very simple way to gift cryptocurrency to others. 5) Your Private Keys are entirely offline and can only be accessed by using the physical paper or metal wallet. What Are the Disadvantages of Using a Paper or Metal Cold Wallet? 1) Loss of the paper or metal wallet could result in the loss of your cryptocurrency. Care must be taken when creating the paper wallet to prevent the private key being stored on a printer's memory or viewed by a web camera. Also, care must be taken to protect paper wallets from fire and water damage. Laminating a paper wallet will prevent water damage and storing the wallet in a fire resistant safe will help protect it from fire damage. 2) Typically, paper or metal wallets will handle only one cryptocurrency at a time. 3) The coins can be inconvenient to spend since the wallet must be swept into a software wallet in order to spend them. 4) Normally, there isn’t a mnemonic backup phrase that can recover the wallet. If you lose the paper or metal wallet there is no way to recover the coins. *Note: Beware of novelty metal cryptocurrency coins. They are metal or plastic coins that look like a metal cryptocurrency wallet, but are intended to be a souvenir. Any address or private key stamped on it will be duplicated on all other coins. They are NOT real metal cryptocurrency wallets!

What Are the Advantages to Using a Software or Hot Wallet App on a Tablet or Smartphone Device? 1) You control the Private Keys, provided that you have chosen a non-custodial or self-custodial wallet. 2) They are convenient, easy to use and set up. 3) Many wallet apps will support multiple cryptocurrencies. 4) They are ideal for people who only wish to educate themselves, at minimal cost, on the subject of cryptocurrencies. Note: Due to the nature of software wallet security, only keep a minimal amount of cryptocurrency in this type wallet app. In other words never hold more than you are willing to lose! 5) With proper storage of your mnemonic backup phrase, you will be able to recover your wallet at any time. 6) Many software wallets will have an option to connect a hardware device which creates a secure method of using the wallet. *Note: This combination will be discussed in a later video. What Are the Disadvantages to Using a Software or Hot Wallet App on a Tablet or Smartphone Device? 1) The security of the software wallet will be dependant on the security provided by the tablet or smartphone device. Tablets and smartphones are notoriously insecure devices. For example location services may make your location available to other applications on your device. 2) Since the wallet app's Private Keys are stored in the wallet app itself, the use of cloud backup services will place the Private Key information to the cloud service, exposing your information to any hacking attempts on the cloud service. Always be certain to turn off the cloud backup service for the wallet application. 3) Even though you have control of the Private Keys, they are stored within the wallet application on your device and therefore susceptible to any malicious software that may infect your tablet or smartphone device. 4) It is very easy to send coins with a few taps and a swipe. Best practice is to always send a minimal test amount to an address to confirm the transaction details are correct prior to sending the full amount. 5) Anyone who has access to the tablet or smartphone may also have access to the wallet application. Biometrics are a poor substitute for strong passwords when accessing your wallet applications. Touch ID may be convenient for most applications but use strong passwords and two factor authentication when accessing financial applications. Note: When a hardware device is connected to the software wallet app, the security is transferred to the hardware device, which is much more secure and can eliminate most of the disadvantages listed here.

What Are the Advantages of Using a Broker or CryptoCurrency Exchange Wallet? 1) Most good exchanges or brokers will require you to set up two factor authentication (2FA), which offers relatively strong protection to your account. 2) If you do not feel comfortable with the responsibility of protecting your cryptocurrencies yourself, then storing them with a licensed reputable broker may be an option for you. *Note: I cannot recommend storing your coins on a cryptocurrency exchange! A licensed broker has a fiduciary responsibility to their clients. A cryptocurrency exchange does not have the same legal responsibility. This is not to say that all cryptocurrency exchanges will cease operations and steal your coins, but please note that this risk is unacceptably high in their case. What Are the Disadvantages of Using a Broker or CryptoCurrency Exchange Wallet? 1) You do not control the Private Keys to the wallet on a cryptocurrency exchange or with a brokerage account. Always remember: "Not Your Keys, Not Your Coins!" 2) The movement of coins from your wallet to the brokerage or exchange wallet can be slow, mainly due to the number of confirmations required before a transfer can be counted as accepted. Also, there is often a minimum hold time for fiat currency deposits, before you can withdraw coins purchased with those funds. 3) On most cryptocurrency exchanges, there is a maximum amount of cryptocurrency that can be withdrawn in a single 24 hour period. 4) Cryptocurrency exchanges are often the target of hacking attempts. Therefore storing your cryptocurrencies on an exchange's wallet exposes your holdings to a higher risk of loss by hackers.

What Are the Different Types of CryptoCurrency Wallets? Cryptocurrency wallets fall into two broad categories known as, Software or Hot wallets and Hardware or Cold wallets. A Hot wallet is a software application that you run from your web browser, or install to your computer, tablet or smartphone device. Examples: a) Exodus, Atomic, Gemini wallet (browser style & smartphone app) b) Keplr, Metamask (browser extension) A Cold wallet is a hardware device that stores the Private Keys offline. In other words, no direct exposure to the internet. There are two main types of Cold wallets. a) Paper or metal wallets. Examples: 1) QR code printed on paper with an offline computer and printer 2) Steel coins with a QR code for the public address, and a private key hidden under a sticker 3) The Ballet wallet which combines security features on a steel card and works with a companion application. b) Hardware device wallets Examples: 1) Ledger Nano device 2) Trezor device This is only a tiny sample of the possible wallets applications and devices available. Please do your own research before deciding on which wallet to use.

What is a Custodial and What is a Non-Custodial Wallet? A custodial wallet is defined as a wallet in which a third party controls the private keys. This is much like the way your bank account or brokerage account works. You must 'trust' the third party to behave honestly with your funds, since they are transacting on your behalf. Consider this scenario where you purchase groceries from the supermarket. You pay with your debit card, but you are only authorizing the bank to send funds from your account to the merchant's account. The bank is the party that is actually moving the funds around. The funds are completely within the bank's control. A custodial wallet is the type of wallet that you work with when dealing with a broker or a cryptocurrency exchange. *Please note: Some wallet apps operate as custodial wallets, in that they hold your private keys on their servers, for your 'convenience and safety'. You will want to minimize your exposure to custodial wallets as much as possible. Always remember the phrase, "Not your keys, not your coins!" A non-custodial or self-custodial wallet is a cryptocurrency wallet in which the owner has full control of the Private Keys and therefore full control of the funds. It also implies that the owner has full responsibility for the wallet and its private keys and coins. In Summary 1) You will be working with both custodial wallets and non-custodial wallets for your cryptocurrency coins. 2) You will want to maintain the majority of your coins in a non-custodial or self-custodial wallet. 3) You will place the coins you wish to trade or sell with the custodial wallet of a broker or cryptocurrency exchange, only for as long as it takes to make the trade or sale. This will reduce your risk of exposure to loss as much as possible. 4) Never trust your coins to a custodial online web wallet or smartphone app!

An Overview of CryptoCurrency Wallets What is a Blockchain? A blockchain is a distributed database, or ledger, that shared across many nodes of a computer network. A blockchain collects information together in groups known as blocks the hold sets of information. These blocks have a specific storage capacity which, when filled, are closed and linked to the previous block that forms a chain of information known as the blockchain. Different types of information can be stored on a blockchain. The most common use has been to act as a ledger for cryptocurrency transactions. A physical example of how to visualize the blockchain or ledger is that of the old style paper and ink ledger book. The individual pages represent the individual blocks in the blockchain. Each page containing information about a transaction. Each page is connected to the previous page in the ledger, just as each block is connected to the previous block in the blockchain. If this physical ledger had a lock, like a diary, then the public key (wallet address), would allow access to the ledger, but only to the individual pages (read transactions) that were associated with the wallet address. A private key would allow a transaction to be written (send transaction) to the individual pages of the ledger. And, to take the analogy a step further, the keys (public and private) would not be able to unlock ledger entries that belong to someone else, nor could they be used to open entries on another blockchain ledger or mainnet. What is a Cryptocurrency Wallet? A cryptocurrency wallet is a software application or hardware device that stores your private keys. Your coins and tokens, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc., are not actually stored on the wallet. Each coin exists only the blockchain Mainnet or network, related to each specific coin. What Are the Private Keys Used For? The private keys unlock the information on the blockchain, that is related to the transactions performed by the user of the wallet. The private keys also generate the public wallet address, which is used for reading transactions and receiving coins to the wallet. A Visualization of a Cryptocurrency Wallet Picture your cryptocurrency wallet as if it were an automobile. Your keys to the car would represent the Private Keys of the wallet. They are used to operate the vehicle or sign the transactions of a wallet. Your Mnemonic Backup Phrase would be represented by the spare key(s) that you have. The more spare keys that exist, the more potential for an unauthorized person gaining access to those keys and accessing your car or wallet! Your mnemonic backup is the most important item to store securely! The license plate or even the VIN (vehicle identification number) would uniquely and publicly identify the vehicle. This is what your wallet’s public address does, by accessing the wallet to read transactions and receive coins. The roads and highways would represent the blockchain Mainnet of a particular cryptocurrency. The transactions would be represented by the movement of the vehicle from Point A to Point B. Or, better yet, if the vehicle has GPS tracking, this would represent the ledger or record of all the transactions performed by the wallet.

Managing Email Accounts Why Would I Need Multiple Email Accounts? 1) To help secure your financial accounts such as, banking or brokerage accounts. Email addresses are often used to identify a user on a financial website. Having a separate email for your financial email accounts can make it easier to identify the source of a data leak or where a phishing attempt has occurred. 2) Using a dedicated 'Junk mail' address will help keep your 'real' email address less cluttered. Often a website will ask for your email address to send you a link to the information you are curious about. Using a junk mail address will help keep the spam out of your normal day to day email address. Later if you decide that the website your signed onto is worth it, you can update your email address in your account profile to your 'real' email address. 3) Just as you would not use your work or business email for your personal email address, you should use a separate email for your financial accounts instead of your personal day to day email account. For example, you need to search the emails for your brokerage account’s password reset instructions. It will be easier to find in an email account that only contains your brokerage emails than in your day to day email account that has everything in it, including Grandma's cake recipes and travel photos. Suggested List of Email Accounts This is only a suggested list. You can set up as many, or as few accounts, as you are comfortable using. 1) For junk mail – Gmail GMail is a popular email service, but is also known for tracking of user data for advertising purposes. Use this email address for initial sign-up on websites and for sites that you suspect will spam you. Never use it as an identifier email (ie Apple ID) for your smartphone or tablet device. Then you should get less ads because of the spamming websites. 2) Personal day to day email – Protonmail 3) Banking and brokerage services – Protonmail 4) Cryptocurrency exchange accounts - Protonmail Protonmail provides an encrypted email service that identifies spam emails and filters them out. Emails are transmitted in a secure manner and Protonmail does not track you.

Managing Email Accounts Why Would I Need Multiple Email Accounts? 1) To help secure your financial accounts such as, banking or brokerage accounts. Email addresses are often used to identify a user on a financial website. Having a separate email for your financial email accounts can make it easier to identify the source of a data leak or where a phishing attempt has occurred. 2) Using a dedicated 'Junk mail' address will help keep your 'real' email address less cluttered. Often a website will ask for your email address to send you a link to the information you are curious about. Using a junk mail address will help keep the spam out of your normal day to day email address. Later if you decide that the website your signed onto is worth it, you can update your email address in your account profile to your 'real' email address. 3) Just as you would not use your work or business email for your personal email address, you should use a separate email for your financial accounts instead of your personal day to day email account. For example, you need to search the emails for your brokerage account’s password reset instructions. It will be easier to find in an email account that only contains your brokerage emails than in your day to day email account that has everything in it, including Grandma's cake recipes and travel photos. Suggested List of Email Accounts This is only a suggested list. You can set up as many, or as few accounts, as you are comfortable using. 1) For junk mail – Gmail GMail is a popular email service, but is also known for tracking of user data for advertising purposes. Use this email address for initial sign-up on websites and for sites that you suspect will spam you. Never use it as an identifier email (ie Apple ID) for your smartphone or tablet device. Then you should get less ads because of the spamming websites. 2) Personal day to day email – Protonmail 3) Banking and brokerage services – Protonmail 4) Cryptocurrency exchange accounts - Protonmail Protonmail provides an encrypted email service that identifies spam emails and filters them out. Emails are transmitted in a secure manner and Protonmail does not track you.

Password Managers Why Use a Password Manager? People, in general, are not necessarily lazy, but we do tend to do things in the most convenient fashion. When you create a login for an account on a website, do you find yourself using the same simple password over and over? Your financial accounts, like your bank or trading accounts will likely force you to create a password with a combination of numbers, letters, uppercase and lowercase letters, and sometimes special characters. But if it is difficult to remember, you then need to write it down, probably on a post-it note that is pasted to your computer monitor. All of these situations create a major security hole for your accounts. By employing a password manager to create strong secure passwords for all of your accounts, will help to eliminate the bad habits we fall into when dealing with passwords. *Note: Password chains or managers that web browsers use should never be used for financial account passwords! These typically popup with a suggested password that will be saved by the browser and will only work for that browser. The security is far too weak! These browser managed passwords should only be used for websites that you casually use or do not care about. Never use them for your banking or cryptocurrency exchanges and definitely not your cryptocurrency wallets! Using An Online Password Manager Advantages of an Online Password Manager 1) Ease of access to your stored passwords on multiple devices 2) No need to remember multiple, different passwords 3) The ability to create very strong difficult to crack passwords 4) Very easy to generate new replacement passwords 5) The ability to manage multiple password databases through separate email accounts Disadvantages of Using an Online Password Manager 1) Losing or forgetting the Master Password to the database can lock you out of your passwords 2) Forgetting to log out of the password manager application may expose you to unauthorized access 3) The protection of your password database is only as strong as the protection provided by the online password manager service and the protection that you the user of the password manager employs

Why Use a Password Manager? People, in general, are not necessarily lazy, but we do tend to do things in the most convenient fashion. When you create a login for an account on a website, do you find yourself using the same simple password over and over? Your financial accounts, like your bank or trading accounts will likely force you to create a password with a combination of numbers, letters, uppercase and lowercase letters, and sometimes special characters. But if it is difficult to remember, you then need to write it down, probably on a post-it note that is pasted to your computer monitor. All of these situations create a major security hole for your accounts. By employing a password manager to create strong secure passwords for all of your accounts, will help to eliminate the bad habits we fall into when dealing with passwords. *Note: Password chains or managers that web browsers use should never be used for financial account passwords! These typically popup with a suggested password that will be saved by the browser and will only work for that browser. The security is far too weak! These browser managed passwords should only be used for websites that you casually use or do not care about. Never use them for your banking or cryptocurrency exchanges and definitely not your cryptocurrency wallets! Using an Offline Password Manager Advantages of an Offline Password Manager 1) Ease of access to your stored passwords 2) No need to remember multiple, different passwords 3) The ability to create very strong difficult to crack passwords 4) Very easy to generate new replacement passwords 5) You have full control of the security of the password database 6) An offline password manager can be used entirely disconnected from the internet for an extra level of security. Disadvantages of Using an Offline Password Manager 1) Losing or forgetting the Master Password to the database can lock you out of your passwords 2) Losing access to your Encryption Key file will cause you to lose access to your passwords 3) The protection of your password database is only as strong as the protection that the user of the password manager employs

This video demonstrates how to setup a local admin account on a Windows PC. Mac users may refer to this article: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2016/07/06/promote-demote-os-x-user-accounts/ In this tutorial we discuss the importance of securing the computer that you will use for your cryptocurrency wallet interaction. Using good anti-virus and anti-malware software on your computer is a good start, but one of the most overlooked security flaws in computer's setup is the fact that the initial user account by default, will have Administrator privilege on that computer. Why Is This An Issue? Any program that runs on your computer, does so using the privileges allowed by the user's account. The default security settings on your computer will only allow you access to, or permission on, certain files and folders within your computer system. For example, a person with Standard privilege can create, read, write and delete files that they have created, but may not be allowed to access or delete or modify files that belong to another user of that computer. In particular, they would not be able to make changes to files that make up the operating system of the computer. A user with Administrator privilege can do anything on the computer, including deletion of sensitive or required files of the operating system. Where the security issue comes into play is when you operate a computer with Administrator privilege and a malware program infects your computer, it will run with Administrator privilege on your computer, possibly doing severe damage to the operating system or stealing financial data on your computer and transmitting it elsewhere. So the first step you should take to securing your cryptocurrency computer is to set it up with a local Administrator account, which you will use for things like installing software and performing updates, etc. The next step will be to lower your existing account to the Standard privilege to use your computer for day to day operations.

The purpose of these tutorials are as follows: 1) Aimed primarily to those that are new to cryptocurrencies. 2) For those people who need help in choosing a cryptocurrency wallet. 3) For anyone concerned about the security and safety of their cryptocurrency holdings. These tutorials are NOT for those who are looking for a canned 'all-in-one' solution! The focus is to provide information that will help you make an informed decision. Hence my slogan, "Building Tools for Informed Decision Making!" The goal is to help you become self-reliant, relying on no one else to secure your crypto holdings, and to be responsible for your own actions. Over the next several posts we will cover subjects as: 1) The setup of a local Administrator account 2) The secure use of password managers and email accounts 3) Cryptocurrency wallets - An overview of concepts and terminology - Advantages & disadvantages - Inherent risks of different wallets - Hot & cold wallets with walk throughs 4) Mnemonic Backups - Care and management - A walk through of restoring a wallet from the mnemonic phrase 5) Advanced Techniques - Enhancing security of your password managers - Creating a hidden wallet on your Trezor or Ledger device - Storage techniques for mnemonic backup - Shamir backup (Trezor Model T)