Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01067
The process took several weeks of GPU computation.
SurvivesCase description
A user on a Bitcoin recovery forum reported in 2022 that they had recovered access to an old Bitcoin Core wallet after forgetting the password. The user had set the password in 2014 and had not opened the wallet since. Recovery was achieved by systematically trying password variations based on the user's known habits at the time—using a custom wordlist derived from old passwords the user remembered—via the btcrecover open-source tool. The process took several weeks of GPU computation.
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
News article
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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