Ledger, a leading provider of hardware cryptocurrency wallets, has unveiled a new offline tool for private key recovery, aimed at helping users regain access to their crypto wallets without relying on cloud services or sharing personal information.
Called the Ledger Recovery Key, the tool allows users of Ledger Flex or Ledger Stax wallets to securely store their private keys on a physical smart card equipped with NFC technology, the company announced in a statement shared with Cointelegraph.
In contrast to Ledger’s earlier recovery solution, Ledger Recover, which encrypts and stores fragments of recovery phrases in cloud-based hardware security modules, the Ledger Recovery Key remains completely offline and is secured with its own dedicated PIN.
Like Ledger Recover, this new feature is optional—but unlike its predecessor, it does not require identity verification or the submission of personal data.
Recover your private key with a simple tap of a card
The Ledger Recovery Key enables users to regain access to their crypto assets by simply tapping the smart card and entering a PIN.
Designed exclusively for NFC-enabled Ledger Flex and Ledger Stax wallets, the Recovery Key connects directly to Ledger devices via secure NFC wireless communication—without the need for any intermediary, the company stated in its announcement.
According to the company, the Ledger Recovery Key is built using Secure Element technology—the same advanced security layer used in Ledger wallet devices.
Open source technology
As part of its commitment to transparency, Ledger has open-sourced the application code for the Ledger Recovery Key on GitHub and released a dedicated white paper.
The tool has been rigorously tested internally by Ledger’s white hat security team, Donjon, and has also undergone external audits by cybersecurity firm Synacktiv and other independent experts.
“We’ve received extremely positive feedback from security researchers and industry leaders, and we’re excited to reveal it to the world for even more feedback ahead of its launch soon,” Ledger’s chief technology officer, Charles Guillemet, said in the announcement.
