Device lost — hardware wallet (2022)

Survives

Case description

A Ledger Nano hardware wallet was lost in transit during international shipping in early 2022. The owner had the seed phrase and was able to restore the wallet on a replacement device within two weeks. However, the period between discovering the loss and obtaining and initializing a replacement device represented a window of exposure: the owner did not know whether the device had been found by someone with the technical ability to extract the PIN via voltage glitching. Temporary constrained access was the practical outcome.

Custody context

Stress condition	Device loss
Custody system	Hardware wallet (single key)
Outcome	Survives
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2022
Country	International

Outcome interpretation

Access remained possible under the reported conditions.

Source

Privately Reported

Evidence type

News article

Evidence link

https://btcnewsanalysis.com/2022/08/16/how-a-trezor-wallet-passphrase-taking-a-lifetime-to-brute-force-was-cracked-by-keychainx/

Related cases involving device loss

188 cases involve device loss 274 cases involve hardware wallet (single key) View archive statistics →

This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents. Submit a case

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Framework references

Where Bitcoin Custody Intersects Legal and Fiduciary Authority

Where custody creates gaps in estate planning, fiduciary duty, and professional responsibility.

Professional Scope Boundary Matrix

What each professional or product covers, what they do not, and where gaps form between them.

The Independent Assessment Layer in Bitcoin Custody

How independent diagnostic layers emerge when multiple parties depend on shared infrastructure.