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CH01::Wallet Types: mention privacy; s/HWW/hardware signing device/

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- Mention that mobile wallets and web wallets almost universally use
  remote servers for scanning, reducing privacy.

- Rename "hardware wallets" to "hardware signing devices".  In general,
  all these devices do is display info about an unsigned transaction to
  a user and then sign it if the user approves.  They need to be paired
  with other software that implements all of the other wallet behavior.
  We rename them accordingly and mention that the security and privacy
  of the wallet they pair with plays a role in the user's security and
  privacy.
This commit is contained in:
David A. Harding 2023-02-03 09:43:11 -10:00
parent 9ea0eee92a
commit 1db8772e86
1 changed files with 19 additions and 10 deletions
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ch01.asciidoc
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@ -200,24 +200,33 @@ Mobile wallet:: A mobile wallet is the most common type of Bitcoin
wallet. Running on smart-phone operating systems such as Apple iOS and
Android, these wallets are often a great choice for new users. Many are
designed for simplicity and ease-of-use, but there are also fully
featured mobile wallets for power users.
featured mobile wallets for power users. To avoid downloading and
storing large amounts of data, most mobile wallets retrieve information
from remote servers, reducing your privacy by disclosing information
about your Bitcoin addresses and balances to third parties.
Web wallet:: Web wallets are accessed through a web browser and store
the user's wallet on a server owned by a third party. This is similar to
webmail in that it relies entirely on a third-party server. Some of
these services operate using client-side code running in the user's
browser, which keeps control of the Bitcoin keys in the hands of the
user. Most, however, present a compromise by taking control of the
Bitcoin keys from users in exchange for ease-of-use. It is inadvisable
user, although the user's dependence on the server still compromises
their privacy. Most, however, take control of the Bitcoin keys from
users in exchange for ease-of-use. It is inadvisable
to store large amounts of bitcoin on third-party systems.
Hardware wallet:: Hardware wallets are devices that operate a secure
self-contained Bitcoin wallet on special-purpose hardware. They usually
connect to a desktop or mobile device via USB cable or
near-field-communication (NFC), and are operated with a web browser or
accompanying software. By handling all Bitcoin-related operations on the
specialized hardware, these wallets are considered very secure and
suitable for storing large amounts of bitcoin.
Hardware signing devices:: Hardware signing devices are devices that can
store keys and sign transactions using a special-purpose hardware and
software. They usually
connect to a desktop, mobile, or web wallet via USB cable,
near-field-communication (NFC), or a camera with QR codes. By handling
all Bitcoin-related operations on the specialized hardware, these
wallets are less vulnerable to many types of attacks. Hardware signing
devices are sometimes called "hardware wallets", but they need to be
paired with a full-featured wallet to send and receive transactions, and
the security and privacy offered by that paired wallet plays a critical
role in how much security and privacy the user obtains when using the
hardware signing device.
===== Full-node vs. Lightweight
Another way to categorize bitcoin wallets is by their degree of autonomy and how they interact with the Bitcoin network: