slip39 2.1.4

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
2021-12-29 13:21:57 slip39           ETH m/44'/60'/0'/0/0    : 0x8686D2cb685A934233eB8a4907d17e45257eBaD0
...
2021-12-29 13:21:57 slip39           First(1/1): Recover w/ 2 of 4 groups First(1), Second(1), Fam(2/4), Fren(2/6)
2021-12-29 13:21:57 slip39             withdraw pajamas acrobat romp afraid engage sniff olympic rescue taxi careful calcium radar thank realize join thank parcel desktop tofu
2021-12-29 13:21:57 slip39           Second(1/1): Recover w/ 2 of 4 groups First(1), Second(1), Fam(2/4), Fren(2/6)
2021-12-29 13:21:57 slip39             withdraw pajamas beard romp ajar cricket medical human unkind undergo legend briefing climate learn member change glasses maximum critical photo
2021-12-29 13:21:57 slip39           Fam(2/4): Recover w/ 2 of 4 groups First(1), Second(1), Fam(2/4), Fren(2/6)
2021-12-29 13:21:57 slip39             withdraw pajamas ceramic roster daisy voice bike spider rhyme stay slow devote phantom cricket carpet favorite decent society ending elite
2021-12-29 13:21:57 slip39             withdraw pajamas ceramic scared calcium says spew fake blue exceed actress velvet romp ounce mild smear sled kernel divorce oral
...
2021-12-29 13:21:57 slip39           Wrote SLIP39-encoded wallet for '' to: SLIP39-2021-12-29+13.21.57-0x8686D2cb685A934233eB8a4907d17e45257eBaD0.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: withdraw pajamas acrobat romp afraid engage sniff olympic rescue taxi careful calcium radar thank realize join thank parcel desktop tofu
2021-12-29 13:24:25 slip39.recovery  Could not recover SLIP-39 master secret with 1 supplied mnemonics: Insufficient number of mnemonic groups. The required number of groups is 2.
Enter 2nd SLIP-39 mnemonic: a bc
2021-12-29 13:24:53 slip39.recovery  Could not recover SLIP-39 master secret with 2 supplied mnemonics: Invalid mnemonic word 'a'.
Enter 3rd SLIP-39 mnemonic:  withdraw pajamas ceramic roster daisy voice bike spider rhyme stay slow devote phantom cricket carpet favorite decent society ending elite
2021-12-29 13:24:58 slip39.recovery  Could not recover SLIP-39 master secret with 3 supplied mnemonics: Invalid mnemonic word 'a'.
Enter 4th SLIP-39 mnemonic: withdraw pajamas ceramic scared calcium says spew fake blue exceed actress velvet romp ounce mild smear sled kernel divorce oral
2021-12-29 13:25:14 slip39.recovery  Recovered SLIP-39 secret with 3 (1st, 3rd, 4th) of 4 supplied mnemonics
2021-12-29 13:25:14 slip39.recovery  Recovered SLIP-39 secret; To re-generate, send it to: python3 -m slip39 --secret -
9658a84b5138f63c428f6086be6e82b5

Finally, regenerate the Ethereum wallet, perhaps including an encrypted JSON wallet file for import into a software wallet; note that the same Ethereum wallet address 0x8686...BaD0 is recovered:

$ python3 -m slip39 --secret 9658a84b5138f63c428f6086be6e82b5 --json -
2021-12-29 13:26:04 slip39           It is recommended to not use '-s|--secret <hex>'; specify '-' to read from input
2021-12-29 13:26:04 slip39           ETH m/44'/60'/0'/0/0    : 0x8686D2cb685A934233eB8a4907d17e45257eBaD0
JSON key file password: <enter JSON wallet password>
2021-12-29 13:26:29 slip39           Wrote JSON encrypted wallet for '' to: SLIP39-2021-12-29+13.26.04-0x8686D2cb685A934233eB8a4907d17e45257eBaD0.json
2021-12-29 13:26:29 slip39           Wrote SLIP39-encoded wallet for '' to: SLIP39-2021-12-29+13.26.04-0x8686D2cb685A934233eB8a4907d17e45257eBaD0.pdf

The whole toolchain is suitable for pipelining:

$ python3 -m slip39 --text --no-card -q \
    | sort -r \
    | python3 -m slip39.recovery \
    | python3 -m slip39 --secret - --no-card -q
2021-12-28 10:55:17 slip39           m/44'/60'/0'/0/0    : 0x68dD9B59D5dF605f4e9612E8b427Ab31187E2C54
2021-12-28 10:55:18 slip39.recovery  Recovered SLIP-39 secret with 4 (1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th) of 8 supplied mnemonics
2021-12-28 10:55:18 slip39           m/44'/60'/0'/0/0    : 0x68dD9B59D5dF605f4e9612E8b427Ab31187E2C54

Here's an example of PDF containing the SLIP-39 recovery mnemonic cards produced: