<p>The sentence you cited is from the <a href="http://doc.satoshilabs.com/trezor-user/advanced_settings.html#using-passphrase-encrypted-seeds" rel="nofollow">Using passphrase encrypted seeds</a> section. As the title suggests, the actual seed <strong>is not stored</strong> in your Trezor if you're using passphrase protection. Instead, a <strong>passphrase-encrypted</strong> version of the seed is stored in the device (and also exported as a Recovery seed, if needed).</p>

<p>Obviously, if an attacker were to obtain the <strong>unencrypted (plain) seed</strong>, he would be able to restore your wallet and steal the coins easily. It is however not feasible to extract the plain seed from the encrypted one, if a sufficiently complex passphrase is used.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-17T18:19:41.080Z
2014-10-17T18:19:41.080Z
knaperek
<p>The seed is protected with a password or PIN; it precludes the possibility of stolen devices being decrypted whilst online malware/rootkits are precluded by the hardware device being separate from the compromised OS's memory pool.</p>

<p>From <a href="http://doc.satoshilabs.com/trezor-user/securitybestpractices.html" rel="nofollow">Trezor</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>TREZOR’s PIN based security system is a powerful tool to keep your
  bitcoin’s safe. If your TREZOR is stolen, the only thing between the
  thief and your bitcoins is your PIN and/or passphrase. It is
  imperative that you choose a good PIN!</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-17T17:46:46.770Z
2014-10-17T17:46:46.770Z
Wizard Of Ozzie
<p><a href="http://doc.satoshilabs.com/trezor-user/advanced_settings.html#using-passphrase-encrypted-seeds" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Trezor User Manual</a> says</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>if you forget the passphrase there will be no way to recover your bitcoins. Not even the Recovery seed.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>How is it that you (or an attacker who knows the seed) can't just <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/31992/can-a-trezor-seed-be-used-in-any-other-hd-wallet">restore a soft wallet with some other application</a> and recover the bitcoins with the other application?</p>

<security><wallet-security><seed><trezor>
How does a Trezor passphrase prevent restoration of a wallet if an attacker knows the seed?
oks
# How does a Trezor passphrase prevent restoration of a wallet if an attacker knows the seed?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-17)

[Trezor User Manual](http://doc.satoshilabs.com/trezor-user/advanced_settings.html#using-passphrase-encrypted-seeds) says

> if you forget the passphrase there will be no way to recover your bitcoins. Not even the Recovery seed.

How is it that you (or an attacker who knows the seed) can't just [restore a soft wallet with some other application](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/31992/can-a-trezor-seed-be-used-in-any-other-hd-wallet) and recover the bitcoins with the other application?

**Tags:** security, wallet-security, seed, trezor


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-10-17. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

The sentence you cited is from the [Using passphrase encrypted seeds](http://doc.satoshilabs.com/trezor-user/advanced_settings.html#using-passphrase-encrypted-seeds) section. As the title suggests, the actual seed **is not stored** in your Trezor if you're using passphrase protection. Instead, a **passphrase-encrypted** version of the seed is stored in the device (and also exported as a Recovery seed, if needed).

Obviously, if an attacker were to obtain the **unencrypted (plain) seed**, he would be able to restore your wallet and steal the coins easily. It is however not feasible to extract the plain seed from the encrypted one, if a sufficiently complex passphrase is used.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-10-17. Score: 1

The seed is protected with a password or PIN; it precludes the possibility of stolen devices being decrypted whilst online malware/rootkits are precluded by the hardware device being separate from the compromised OS's memory pool.

From [Trezor](http://doc.satoshilabs.com/trezor-user/securitybestpractices.html):

> TREZOR’s PIN based security system is a powerful tool to keep your
> bitcoin’s safe. If your TREZOR is stolen, the only thing between the
> thief and your bitcoins is your PIN and/or passphrase. It is
> imperative that you choose a good PIN!


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