The Guardian

Safeguarding with the Power of Friendship

Introduction

In the vast landscape of cryptographic security, trust is the cornerstone. While technologies evolve, trust remains timeless. The Guardian strategy harnesses this quintessential human emotion, weaving a tapestry of cryptographic security bolstered by the age-old bond of friendship.

Understanding the Guardian Ethos

Friendship is a bond carved in trust and sealed with shared memories. It transcends the digital realm's boundaries, carrying with it a weight that no technology can replicate. The Guardian strategy captures this essence, converting each friendship into a pillar of security, each trusted individual a guardian of one's cryptocurrency.

What Is Needed

Below is everything you will need to follow this storage strategy:

• 1 pack of Splitcoins

• 1 smartphone with the Splitcoin app

• 1 magnet vault (Included with your pack of Splitcoins)

• 1 pen

• 2-8 trusted people

One of the following is needed to store your password:

• 1 password management software

• 1 password magnet (included in your magnet vault)

Diving Into the Guardian Strategy

1. Bestowing Trust: At the heart of this strategy lies the act of entrusting each Splitcoin to a different friend, turning them into a 'Guardian'. These Guardians, chosen based on trust, loyalty, and shared history, are responsible for one piece of the cryptographic puzzle.

2. Backup Brigade: Recognizing the uncertainties of life, the Guardian strategy advocates creating two sets of Splitcoins. This redundancy ensures that even if a mishap befalls one Guardian, the backup set provides a safety net, preserving the sanctity of the cryptographic framework.

3. The Unison of Guardians: To decipher the codebook and unlock the seed phrase, one would need to unite all Splitcoins. This ensures that no single Guardian has the power to access the information, making the strategy both secure and collaborative.

4. The Awareness Factor: For highest security, it is recommended that guardians should not personally know other guardians. For medium security, they should be unaware of who your other guardians are. For lowest security, your guardians are all aware of each other. Tailor this awareness factor for your own comfort level.

Implementing the Guardian Strategy with Splitcoin

Getting Started

Prerequisite: Before you get started with implementing the Guardian strategy, you should make sure you have read the blog post Getting Started with Storage. It covers the basics of storage schemes and a high level view of how Splitcoin works when it comes to storage.

Step 1: Run the Create Vault Process

If you made it this far, then you probably already completed this step! Now you should have a set of Splitcoins, a password, and a seed vault (your encrypted seed phrase) to manage. Follow the rest of these steps to implement The Guardian strategy.

Step 2: Store Your Splitcoins

Utilize the NFC versions of the Splitcoins. Give one coin to each of your guardians. These should be trustworthy people in your life. Think friends and family who are honest and reliable.

Step 3: Store the Seed Vault (Encrypted Seed Phrase)

This is the vault to your digital assets and your guardians hold the key. The Guardian strategy suggests writing this down on the provided magnet. However, you can also write it on paper or etch it onto metal. Place it in a location you can easily access, such as a home safe or in the depths of a special drawer.

Step 4: Safekeeping the Password

As the key to your coins, your password unlocks the key held by your guardians. While some might choose password management software, those leaning toward the traditional can write it down. We recommend hiding it in your home distinctively from your encrypted seed phrase, in a place that is secure and inaccessible from other residents or guests.

Optional: If you plan on keeping your encrypted seed phrase hidden in a place such as a home vault, you can store your password in your home vault as well. The password does not allow someone to decrypt your encrypted seed phrase by itself. All of your Splitcoins would still be needed to do this.

Step 5: Make a Backup

Having a backup is essential in the unfortunate situation that something happens to one or more of your coins. Create backup set using acrylic Splitcoins, Splitcoin Tags, or QR codes. You can mix and match them. Splitcoin Tools, which are found on the Home tab of the Splitcoin app, can be used to do this easily. Use the Copy Tool to make copies of your coins using NFC. Use the Export To QR tool if you would like to make QR versions of your coins, which can be printed. You can also use the Export Codebook To PDF tool to store your codebook as a single digital file or to print it out. Consider implementing a secondary strategy for your backup set.

Strengths of the Guardian Strategy

1. Emotional Investment: This strategy thrives on the emotional depth of human bonds. While a hacker can attempt to breach a digital system, breaking the bond of genuine friendship is an infinitely more challenging feat.

2. Distributed Responsibility: By distributing each Splitcoin to different Guardians, the strategy dilutes the potential risk. Even if a Guardian is approached or compromised, they hold only a fragment of the puzzle.

3. Redundancy is Key: Life is unpredictable. The provision of having two sets of Splitcoins with different sets of Guardians offers a cushion against unforeseen circumstances. This backup system ensures the strategy's resilience.

Challenges and Points of Consideration

1. Changing Dynamics: Friendships, like everything else, can evolve. It's essential to assess and re-evaluate the chosen Guardians periodically to ensure the bond remains strong and the trust unbroken.

2. Communication: The Guardians need to be informed about the importance of the Splitcoin they hold. Regular communication ensures they recognize their role's significance and safeguards the Splitcoin diligently.

3. Coordination for Recovery: In an event where the Splitcoins need to be united, coordinating with multiple Guardians can pose logistical challenges. Having a planned approach for such scenarios is imperative.

Conclusion

The Guardian strategy is a symphony of emotions and technology. It captures the essence of trust, emphasizing that even in this digital age, human bonds can offer unparalleled security layers. By entrusting Splitcoins to trusted friends, it transforms the act of safeguarding one's digital assets into a collaborative journey, each friend playing a pivotal role in the overarching narrative of security.

Such a strategy resonates with those who believe in the power of relationships, who understand that in a world driven by algorithms, the warmth of friendship remains a strong fortress. By adding redundancy with two sets of Splitcoins, the Guardian strategy showcases foresight, ensuring that the strategy remains robust even in the face of adversities.

In the grand scheme of digital security, while firewalls can be breached and algorithms can be decoded, genuine friendships stand tall, impervious to hacks and breaches. The Guardian strategy taps into this timeless bond, proving that sometimes, the most robust security isn't just about codes and ciphers; it's about trust, loyalty, and shared memories.

In the end, the Guardian strategy isn't just a security protocol; it's a tribute to friendships. It's a testament to the fact that even in the digital realm, trust remains the most formidable defense.