Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01014
Passphrase unavailable — Bitcoin Core (2022)
BlockedCase description
A 2022 recovery case involved a Bitcoin Core wallet created in 2013 with an extremely short password. Although the password space was small, the wallet had been created with a very high number of encryption iterations (key stretching), meaning each password attempt took significantly longer than normal. The recovery service estimated years of computation time even for a brute-force attack on a 6-character password. The owner had no password hints and the case was assessed as practically unrecoverable.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Passphrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Desktop Software Wallet |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2022 |
| Country | International |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
The seed phrase was there, but the passphrase that unlocked it was gone. Both are required. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Privately 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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