Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01064
The wallet had been encrypted with Bitcoin Core in 2013 and remained on an old hard
SurvivesCase description
A BitcoinTalk forum user (thak777) posted in February 2022 that they had successfully recovered access to a 2013-era Bitcoin wallet using WalletRecoveryServices after forgetting the encryption password. The wallet had been encrypted with Bitcoin Core in 2013 and remained on an old hard drive. After years of failed attempts, a professional recovery service brute-forced the password using pattern hints provided by the owner. The case illustrated that recovery of old wallets remains possible when partial password information is available.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Passphrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Desktop Software Wallet |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2022 |
| Country | International |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Related cases involving passphrase unavailable
217 cases involve passphrase unavailable
25 cases involve desktop software wallet
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This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
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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.
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