Ethereum Foundation Seeks Verifiable Chips as Buterin Flags Wallet Risk

At Devcon 8 on Nov. 3, Vitalik Buterin used a hardware-wallet example to highlight the challenge of checking closed hardware. He raised the possibility of a concealed feature that could expose private keys and stressed the importance of hardware security. Buterin said falling confidence in hardware was unacceptable.

The Ethereum Foundation said users should not have to hack a TV or take apart a hardware wallet to determine whether it is secure and reliable. It said the industry needs chip technology that people can access, inspect and verify, and welcomed developers working on those designs.

The remarks add a hardware-wallet example to the foundation’s earlier chip-design proposal.