slip39 2.1.0

The slip39 module implements SLIP39 recovery for Ethereum accounts

Creating Ethereum accounts is complex and fraught with potential for loss of funds.

A BIP-39 seed recovery phrase helps, but a single lapse in security dooms the account. If someone finds your recovery phrase, the account is /gone/.

The SLIP-39 standard allows you to split the seed between 1 or more groups of multiple recovery phrases. This is better, but creating such accounts is difficult; presently, only the Trezor supports these, and they can only be created "manually". Writing down 5 or more sets of 20 words is difficult and time consuming.

The python-slip39 project exists to assist in the safe creation and documentation of Ethereum HD Wallet accounts, with various SLIP-39 sharing parameters. It generates the new wallet seed, generates standard Ethereum account(s) (at derivation path =m/66'/40'/0'/0/0= by default) with Ethereum wallet address and QR code, produces the required SLIP-39 phrases, and outputs a single PDF containing all the required printable cards to document the account.

On an secure (ideally air-gapped) computer, new accounts can safely be generated and the PDF saved to a USB drive for printing (or directly printed without the file being saved to disk.)

$ python3 -m slip39 -v
2021-12-25 11:02:20 slip39           ETH(m/44'/60'/0'/0/0): 0xb44A2011A99596671d5952CdC22816089f142FB3
...
2021-12-25 11:02:20 slip39           First(1/1): Need 2 of First(1), Second(1), Fam(2/4), Fren(3/5) to recover.
2021-12-25 11:02:20 slip39             valuable discuss acrobat romp apart trust earth brother election bundle finance darkness dryer capacity chubby laundry diet glasses fiction general
2021-12-25 11:02:20 slip39           Second(1/1): Need 2 of First(1), Second(1), Fam(2/4), Fren(3/5) to recover.
2021-12-25 11:02:20 slip39             valuable discuss beard romp duckling move space bolt wolf junior cargo disaster desert vintage bulb rhythm dictate timber impact losing
...
2021-12-25 11:02:20 slip39           Wrote SLIP39-encoded wallet for '' to: SLIP39-2021-12-25+11.02.20-0xb44A2011A99596671d5952CdC22816089f142FB3.pdf

Later, if you need to recover the Ethereum wallet, keep entering SLIP-39 mnemonics until the secret is recovered (invalid/duplicate mnemonics will be ignored):

$ python3 -m slip39.recovery -v
Enter 1st SLIP-39 mnemonic: ab c
Enter 2nd SLIP-39 mnemonic: veteran guilt acrobat romp burden campus purple webcam uncover trend best retailer club income coding round mama critical spill endless
Enter 3rd SLIP-39 mnemonic: veteran guilt acrobat romp burden campus purple webcam uncover trend best retailer club income coding round mama critical spill endless
Enter 4th SLIP-39 mnemonic: veteran guilt beard romp dragon island merit burden aluminum worthy editor penalty woman beyond divorce check oasis thumb envy spit
2021-12-25 11:03:33 slip39.recovery  Recovered SLIP-39 secret; Use:  python3 -m slip39 --secret ...
383597fd63547e7c9525575decd413f7

Finally, regenerate the Ethereum wallet, perhaps including an encrypted JSON wallet file for import into a software wallet:

$ python3 -m slip39 --secret 383597fd63547e7c9525575decd413f7 --json -
2021-12-25 11:09:57 slip39           ETH(m/44'/60'/0'/0/0): 0xb44A2011A99596671d5952CdC22816089f142FB3
...
JSON key file password: <enter JSON wallet password>
2021-12-25 11:10:38 slip39           Wrote JSON encrypted wallet for '' to: SLIP39-2021-12-25+11.09.57-0xb44A2011A99596671d5952CdC22816089f142FB3.json
2021-12-25 11:10:39 slip39           Wrote SLIP39-encoded wallet for '' to: SLIP39-2021-12-25+11.09.57-0xb44A2011A99596671d5952CdC22816089f142FB3.pdf