Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01116
Passphrase unavailable — Bitcoin Core (2023)
SurvivesCase description
A Bitcoin Core wallet user who had encrypted their wallet in 2015 with a complex password attempted to access the funds in April 2023 as the market recovered. Eight years had passed since the password was set and the user had no written record. Recovery was attempted via btcrecover with a custom wordlist derived from all known passwords the user had used in 2015. After three weeks of GPU computation, the wallet was opened on the fourth major wordlist variation. The case illustrated that old wallet recovery remained technically feasible with sufficient pattern information.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Passphrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Desktop Software Wallet |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2023 |
| Country | International |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained 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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