Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01308
A November 2024 case involved a MultiBit Classic wallet file from 2014.
SurvivesCase description
A November 2024 case involved a MultiBit Classic wallet file from 2014. MultiBit Classic had been discontinued in 2017 and its password derivation scheme was distinct from Bitcoin Core. The holder remembered approximately eight characters of a twelve-character password but not the exact configuration. A specialist using a targeted brute-force approach against the MultiBit encryption format recovered access after approximately five days of computation, using the remembered characters as anchors for a dictionary-expansion attack. The wallet contained 0.9 BTC worth approximately $90,000 at the November 2024 price—a recovery that would not have been economically worth pursuing at 2022 prices.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Passphrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Desktop Software Wallet |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2024 |
| 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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