Many people believe that cold wallets and hardware isolation can keep them safe, but there is a harsh reality that must be acknowledged — even if you spend millions on top-tier security equipment, facing real threats can cause human fear to instantly break down all defenses. There's a saying in the security community: "A five-dollar wrench is enough to crack any encryption scheme," which sounds exaggerated but reflects a cold fact.
This issue once seemed distant from ordinary people. The situation in 2025 has completely changed. On-chain data is traceable, social media showcases everything, and middle-class investors, content creators, and even regular traders can become targets. A recent incident where a co-founder of Ledger was kidnapped in France serves as a direct warning — no one can guarantee their privacy is secure in the internet age.
So how should one defend? Traditional approaches are outdated. Security experts point out that true defenses must extend from the screen into the real world. Using multi-signature locks for large funds in different locations, setting up coercion-resistant PIN codes as backups, and maintaining an extremely low-profile lifestyle daily — these are the core principles. Someone proposed a practical plan called "Two-Step Exit": only keep daily spending limits in your everyday wallet, freeze major funds with multi-party signatures, and physically disperse private keys across different cities. It sounds complicated, but this complexity itself is the best protection.
The widespread adoption of KYC has become a double-edged sword. On one hand, compliance is clearer; on the other hand, your asset size and personal information are more easily linked precisely. Therefore, regardless of your asset scale, the habit you should develop now is: never show off your gains publicly, and never let strangers know your holdings' depth. The premise of security is always to make it impossible for others to see how much you have.
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BearMarketSunriser
· 01-05 07:39
The five-dollar wrench part was really awesome. This is not a joke, it's a true story.
Forget it, better not show off. Being low-key is the way to go.
The Ledger founder thing really surprised me. It feels like no one can escape.
Multi-signature decentralization sounds tiring, but it's way better than losing coins.
KYC is truly a double-edged sword; you can't have both fish and bear paws.
Not flaunting wealth is the most heartbreaking. Whatever you post makes you look stupid.
These days, having coins and not daring to talk about it is really frustrating, haha.
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BearMarketMonk
· 01-04 09:26
The five-dollar wrench analogy is brilliant. Honestly, no matter how strong the technical defenses are, they can't withstand real-world threats.
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The incident with Ledger's founder really scared me. These days, just being low-key isn't enough; you need multi-threaded thinking.
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Two-step exit sounds complicated, but it's currently the most reliable approach. Anyway, being targeted is much worse than dealing with complex troubles.
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So ultimately, stealth is the most important. On-chain transparency can actually become a fatal flaw.
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The KYC double-edged sword really hit the mark. The cost of compliance is complete privacy exposure, which is quite uncomfortable.
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People still showing off returns on alt accounts are really operating in a suicidal manner.
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Distributing private keys across multiple cities seems even more dangerous than just safeguarding the private key itself... What if you forget where you stored it?
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I didn't expect that now we not only have to defend against technical hackers but also against real-world kidnapping. These days, being middle class is a trap everywhere.
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The last line, "Make others unable to see how much you have," is the ultimate defense. Being low-profile is itself the highest form of security.
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ZKProofEnthusiast
· 01-04 05:07
Five-dollar wrench, this saying is no joke. No one can really walk away unscathed now.
Not being low-key really can get you killed. Just look at what happened with Ledger.
In our circle, we now have to learn to pretend to be poor. That's the strongest defense.
Distributing private keys across different locations sounds complicated, but basically it just makes it hard for people to tell what's real and what's fake.
Ordinary people also need to be cautious. Don't think your assets are safe just because they're small. Everything on the chain can be traced.
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DataBartender
· 01-02 08:54
Five-dollar wrench really hit the point, hardware wallets are just an illusion
ngl I really don’t dare to casually post wallet screenshots now, feels like all platforms are selling your information
Living low-key is definitely something to learn, do we really have to wait until something happens to regret it
Multi-signature is a good idea, but you need to find reliable people, which in itself becomes a risk
Seeing that guy from Ledger being kidnapped really chilled me, it shows that our circle has truly changed
Speaking of which, most people are still showing off their gains, completely unaware of what real threats are
I need to study the PIN coercion method carefully, it feels safer than anything else
On-chain data is traceable, that’s true, but can anyone really achieve complete anonymity?
So the real flex should be living low-profile, right? Making everyone think you don’t have many coins
KYC is really disgusting, demanding your real name while leaking your info like a sieve
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MetadataExplorer
· 01-02 08:53
The five-dollar wrench sounds hardcore, but it's actually a reminder for us not to get blinded by technology. Staying low-key is the way to go.
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The thing with Ledger's founder really shocked me. It feels like nothing is absolutely safe.
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So, true security isn't in hardware; it's in making others not even realize you have money.
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Two-step exit sounds complicated, but in reality, it's just putting all eggs in different baskets. The logic makes sense.
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KYC is indeed a double-edged sword. Compliance is good, but privacy is lost. It's a bit fragmented.
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Watching people show off their gains on the chain every day, we should do the opposite—that is, stay low-profile for more security.
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The idea of being coerced into PIN codes is interesting. Finally, someone thought about the human aspect.
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Distributing private keys across different cities really boosts defense levels, but it does come with more trouble.
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Don't show off, don't reveal. Basically, this rule is just about pretending to be poor, but it's necessary now.
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Cold wallets alone are not enough; defense needs to extend from the virtual world to the real world.
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MEVSupportGroup
· 01-02 08:50
Five-dollar wrench haha, honestly, in the face of physical threats, all encryption is just a decoration. The fact that Ledger's founder was kidnapped is no joke.
Staying low-key is the real way to succeed. Those who constantly show off their trades on Twitter should reflect on themselves.
Multi-signature decentralization is indeed necessary, but most people are still just using single wallets to lie flat...
What this is really about is two words—concealment, no other tricks.
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FOMOSapien
· 01-02 08:40
Five-dollar wrench jokes are hilarious, acting like technology can block everything. Ultimately, it's still about defending against people.
Being low-key is the way to go. I really don't understand those who show off their earnings every day. These days, just to survive, you have to be like an invisible person.
That guy from Ledger really had a scary incident. Multi-signature and decentralization are not overkill defenses; they are necessary.
KYC is basically putting your information into the enemy’s database. Just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable.
Stop showing off, everyone. The first rule of safety is to make yourself unreadable.
Two-step exit sounds complicated but is quite clever. Diversifying risk is worth pondering.
Honestly, it all boils down to two words: just survive. Survive, and you win.
Cold wallets can't save someone who gets caught; that's a real issue we can't ignore.
Splitting private keys across cities sounds a bit exaggerated, but given the current environment, it might not be excessive.
No matter how much money you have, staying low-profile is definitely the right choice. It’s the cheapest insurance.
Many people believe that cold wallets and hardware isolation can keep them safe, but there is a harsh reality that must be acknowledged — even if you spend millions on top-tier security equipment, facing real threats can cause human fear to instantly break down all defenses. There's a saying in the security community: "A five-dollar wrench is enough to crack any encryption scheme," which sounds exaggerated but reflects a cold fact.
This issue once seemed distant from ordinary people. The situation in 2025 has completely changed. On-chain data is traceable, social media showcases everything, and middle-class investors, content creators, and even regular traders can become targets. A recent incident where a co-founder of Ledger was kidnapped in France serves as a direct warning — no one can guarantee their privacy is secure in the internet age.
So how should one defend? Traditional approaches are outdated. Security experts point out that true defenses must extend from the screen into the real world. Using multi-signature locks for large funds in different locations, setting up coercion-resistant PIN codes as backups, and maintaining an extremely low-profile lifestyle daily — these are the core principles. Someone proposed a practical plan called "Two-Step Exit": only keep daily spending limits in your everyday wallet, freeze major funds with multi-party signatures, and physically disperse private keys across different cities. It sounds complicated, but this complexity itself is the best protection.
The widespread adoption of KYC has become a double-edged sword. On one hand, compliance is clearer; on the other hand, your asset size and personal information are more easily linked precisely. Therefore, regardless of your asset scale, the habit you should develop now is: never show off your gains publicly, and never let strangers know your holdings' depth. The premise of security is always to make it impossible for others to see how much you have.