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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

#SmartCustody is an ongoing project of @BlockchainComns, a blockchain infrastructure support organization. In it we share the best practices for the use of advanced cryptographic tools in improving the care, maintenance, control, and protection of your digital assets. (1/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:43 PM

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Retweets: 29

Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

In the 1st edition of #SmartCustody we detail best practices & default storage scenarios, offer an exercise for you to learn how to model digital asset flows, create a risk model, do an adversarial analysis, and use these tools to modify your personal storage scenario. (2/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:44 PM

Favs: 6

Retweets: 0

Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

In the year since the release of our #SmartCustody digital-asset checklists, resources, and risk modeling there have been many changes to our ecosystem. For example, last year's edition could only safely recommend single-signature cold storage approaches for self-custody. (4/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:44 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

However, a number of wallets' architectures have since become more mature. So we now feel that multi-sig solutions are feasible for use by regular people. (5/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:45 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

As @BlockchainComns begins work on a major new release of a 2nd edition #SmartCustody, I thought I’d share with you personally some of my own thoughts on how I think about digital asset security, risk modeling, and adversarial analysis. (6/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:45 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

The first thing I'd like to share is particularly unique to how I approach the risk-modelling of digital assets: Adversarial Analaysis. I believe you may find it useful, so I'll be sharing my thoughts about these Adversaries throughout the month of June. (7/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:46 PM

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Retweets: 0

Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

Classic risk-modeling techniques can be overwhelming, so the #SmartCustody book offers a different approach that helps users to protect their digital assets by figuring out what endangers them. I do this using a unique method: exposing ADVERSARIES. (8/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:46 PM

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Retweets: 0

Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

Classic risk-modeling indentifies vulnerabilities and turns those vulnerabilities into risks based on likelihoods and consequences. You'll still find all of that in #SmartCustody. It's only after we've identified these initial risks that we bring in our adversaries. (9/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:46 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

So what's an adversary? It's an anthropomorphized problem. Each one can encompass many different risks and have many different solutions. Losing your funds due to incapacitation is a potential risk, but DEATH, that's an adversary. (10/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:47 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

Why adversaries? Because they flip the script. We go from discussing somewhat vague and abstract vulnerabilities to considering something more concrete. In the abstract, we might fall prey to our own biases; when things are made concrete, we hew closer to reality. (11/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:47 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

We can look at the motives of Death or Institutional Theft or Blackmail. We can consider what they want, even in situations when they're not thinking beings. By better considering motives, we can better understand if an adversary is actually a threat to *US*. (12/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:47 PM

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Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

Risk modeling is all about making informed decisions rather than emotional ones. I believe that adversaries help us to do so. I'll be talking more about them in coming days, as I highlight the 27 adversaries in #SmartCustody. (13/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:48 PM

Favs: 1

Retweets: 0

Christopher Allen

@ChristopherA

What do you think of adversaries? Are they useful for modeling risks? Let us know! And please consider supporting the #SmartCustodywork that this topic is drawn from. We're need support for our 2nd edition, with multi-sigs and other expansions: https://smartcustody.btcpay.blockchaincommons.com/ (14/14)

6/1/2020, 1:55:48 PM

Favs: 2

Retweets: 1