![\"\"](\"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Crypto-Security_101-1024x576.png\")
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While cryptocurrencies were once relegated to the outskirts of society, they\u2019ve come a long way since Bitcoin\u2019s genesis block in 2009. In today\u2019s world, cryptocurrencies have become increasingly popular. Now we see news of cryptocurrency price movements and events in the markets from mainstream outlets like CNBC<\/a><\/u><\/em>, Forbes<\/a><\/u>, <\/em>and even Bloomberg<\/a><\/u><\/em>. However, with the gained recognition of the emerging asset class, there are more bad actors than ever before looking to take advantage of the newcomers to the industry who may not be as crypto-savvy. With that in mind, we\u2019ve created a quick checklist for you to evaluate your own cryptocurrency holdings and ensure they remain yours. Here\u2019s your primer on crypto security best practices and the Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts <\/em>in the industry.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you have large balances of cryptocurrencies, the best practice is to store excess funds in a secure holding location like cold storage<\/em>. Cold storage simply means that your crypto holdings are stored in an offline wallet with no connection to the internet. Without any internet connectivity, you can protect your wallet from cyber attacks, unauthorized access, and other potential vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n [Bonus \u201cDo\u201d: Consider a dedicated hardware wallet for storage like the Ledger Nano S<\/a><\/u> or Trezor<\/a><\/u>.] <\/em><\/p>\n Whenever possible, you should always <\/em>enable 2-factor authentication (2FA) if given the ability. Whether talking about \u201chot\u201d wallets, cryptocurrency exchanges, or any other account that enables access to your crypto funds, you\u2019ll want to use it. For most cases, 2FA will rely on the use of the Google Authenticator<\/a><\/u> app or SMS message ( but you should really avoid SMS 2FA \u2014 go for the authenticator app instead, here\u2019s why<\/a><\/u>) and is strongly recommended for ensuring that you are the only one with access to your funds.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to backup whatever wallet(s) you\u2019re using from time to time. Depending on the type of wallet, there will be a slightly different procedure. Beforehand, make sure you do some research on the different types of wallets<\/a><\/u> available, to decide on which one works best for you. You can either backup and store your Wallet.dat file externally (in a safe place) or ensure that you\u2019ve got your recovery phrases stored in a secure place should you lose access to your wallet. This is a crucial step that should not be overlooked.<\/p>\n For any and all important crypto websites, the best thing you can do is to bookmark them. You can keep a separate bookmark folder in your browser for cryptocurrency exchanges and other websites to avoid phishing from nefarious third-parties. For example, should you happen to accidentally navigate to \u201cBinance.io\u201d or \u201cBinnance.com\u201d (or any other variation that looks<\/em> similar but is not the official site), you could find yourself handing over your login credentials to phishers who will compromise your account and holdings.<\/p>\n [Bonus tip: Always check the address bar at the top of your browser to sure the site has \u201chttps\u201d and is, in fact, the correctly spelled address.]<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n While cryptocurrency exchanges have significantly increased their security over the years, it\u2019s important to remember that they\u2019re exchanges, not bank accounts. Use exchanges as they\u2019re intended to be used, for exchanging. By storing cryptocurrencies on exchanges long-term, you\u2019re effectively outsourcing your security measures and putting all your trust in a third-party. You don\u2019t want to get burned when\/if that third-party has security issues<\/a><\/u>. This is equally, if not truer, for mobile wallets. They\u2019re fine for keeping a little spending cash on you (something like $20-$100) but never any more, here\u2019s why<\/a><\/u>.<\/p>\n This one is a no-brainer. Don\u2019t give away private keys to your wallets to anyone and always store them in a secure place. On top of that, always remember the popular saying: \u201cIf you don\u2019t own your private keys, you don\u2019t own your crypto.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Really, we could do an entire section on all the popular phishing scams out there, but for the sake of this list, just know that you should never respond to Twitter\/Telegram\/Discord users claiming to be \u201cCoinbase support\u201d asking for your login information. Do not respond to these phishers and report their accounts immediately.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last, but certainly not least, is don\u2019t make yourself into a bigger target than you already are. No one else besides you needs to know how many cryptocurrencies you\u2019re holding. Refrain from bragging and flaunting good investment strategies, mining operations, and yield, etc. online. There\u2019s no need to post on Twitter about how you\u2019ve been \u201ckilling it\u201d in the crypto realm. That\u2019s great if you are, but don\u2019t give hackers a reason to single you out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At the end of the day, there is always more we can do to improve the security of our cryptocurrency holdings and crypto-related accounts. However, with a little common sense and knowing even the most basic industry best practices, you\u2019ll be able to put yourself ahead of many of the other crypto holders to ensure that your crypto stays yours!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" While cryptocurrencies were once relegated to the outskirts of society, they\u2019ve come a long way since Bitcoin\u2019s genesis block in 2009. In today\u2019s world, cryptocurrencies have become increasingly popular. Now…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10664,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_ast_enabled":false,"_ast_config_mode":"defaults","_ast_targets":[],"_ast_fields":[],"_ast_overwrite":"always","_ast_creation_mode":"sync","_ast_last_source_hash":"","_ast_status_it":"","_ast_status_sl":"","_ast_status_fr":"","_ast_status_id":"","_ast_status_pt":"","_ast_status_tr":"","_ast_status_ru":"","_ast_status_de":"","_ast_status_es":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[149,73],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-10663","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cryptocurrency-news","8":"category-guides"},"lang":"en","translations":{"en":10663},"pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10663"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10663\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Do\u2019s<\/span><\/h1>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Dos-300x260.png\")
<\/p>\nKeep Large Crypto Holdings in Cold Storage<\/h2>\n
Enable 2 Factor Authentication (2FA)<\/h2>\n
Backup Your Wallet<\/h2>\n
Use Bookmarks<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019ts <\/span><\/h1>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/coincheckup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Don\u00b4ts-300x300.png\")
<\/p>\nTreat an Exchange (or Mobile Wallet) Like a Bank Account<\/h2>\n
Give Away Your Private Key<\/h2>\n
Respond to Social Media Users Claiming to be Exchange Representatives<\/h2>\n
Put a Target on Your Back<\/h2>\n
The Bottom Line<\/h1>\n