[CBC News] Last June, a hacking incident targeting a core wallet platform in the cryptocurrency ecosystem sent shockwaves through the entire crypto community. What was even more alarming was the nature of the attack. Dormant wallets with no transaction records for years were suddenly activated, draining assets to unfamiliar addresses. Even wallets that had not sent a single transaction since 2020 were no exception. The shock was even greater because evidence revealed that the attackers had not acted randomly but had systematically stolen assets using a pre-obtained list of private keys.

Why Dormant Assets Become Targets This incident is particularly frightening because most victims lost assets that had been left unattended for a long time. The fact that assets dormant for years suddenly vanished—rather than wallets being actively traded—suggests that private keys or mnemonic codes may have been compromised long before.

Indeed, this is not the first incident of its kind. Previously, at a major exchange, the very process of transferring assets from a cold wallet to a hot wallet was manipulated, resulting in the theft of approximately $1.5 billion worth of assets at once. The lesson shared by both incidents is clear: the name "cold wallet" alone does not guarantee safety. The entire operational system and key management practices surrounding the wallet must be secure.

Surge in Hardware Wallet Demand… But Form Alone Is Not Enough Recently, there has been a noticeable shift among investors toward self-custody—managing their own keys directly rather than entrusting assets to exchanges. In particular, following a series of large-scale hacking incidents this year, demand for hardware wallets that store keys offline has increased significantly.

However, as this incident demonstrates, simply choosing a cold wallet format does not guarantee complete security.

Four Essential Criteria for Evaluating Cryptocurrency Wallets When receiving recommendations or selecting a cryptocurrency wallet, the following criteria should be checked first.

1. Key Generation and Signing Method — Hardware wallets that generate and sign private keys in an environment disconnected from the internet have the advantage of being more resistant to remote hacking compared to software wallets, which are exposed to online risks.

2. Mnemonic Code Management Habits — Even when using a hardware wallet, if you have a habit of photographing your mnemonic code and storing it in the cloud or copying and pasting it on unfamiliar platforms, the benefit of offline storage is instantly nullified.

3. Wallet Platform Reputation and Security History — It is necessary to check in advance whether the platform itself has been attacked before, as in this incident, or whether it has experienced similar security breaches in the past.

4. Diversified Asset Management — Dividing wallets based on the scale of assets is also an effective strategy. Assets that are frequently traded in small amounts can be kept in easily accessible wallets, while assets intended for long-term storage can be distributed across separate offline wallets, reducing the risk of losing all assets in a single incident.

Ultimately, 'Key Management' Is the Core Criterion for Wallet Recommendations This incident serves as a reminder that the most important criterion for recommending a cryptocurrency wallet is not brand or convenience, but the "key management method." Even assets that have been untouched for a long time can become targets at any time. Investors must remember that every habit involved in selecting and managing a wallet is the most fundamental and powerful way to protect their assets.

[※ This article is an investment reference material produced with AI assistance. It does not constitute investment advice, and investment decisions and their consequences are the sole responsibility of the investor. This publication bears no legal or financial liability.]