Forgotten Password Cracked
In a remarkable feat, two hackers have recovered $3 million worth of Bitcoin from a digital wallet that had been locked for 11 years. The owner, known as “Michael,” had lost access to the wallet after forgetting the password.
Reverse-Engineering the Password
The hackers, Grand and Bruno, spent months studying the password-generating software used by Michael. They discovered that the seemingly random passwords were not truly random but linked to the computer’s date and time.
Lucky Guess
Using this information, Grand and Bruno narrowed down the possible passwords. After trying several combinations, they finally found the correct one: a password generated on May 15, 2013, at 4:10:40 PM GMT.
A Patient Wait
When Michael regained access to the wallet, Bitcoin was worth $38,000. However, he waited until the price rose to $62,000 before selling some of his assets. He now holds 30 BTC, currently worth over $2 million.
A Cautionary Tale
This story highlights the importance of storing passwords securely and having backups in place. Michael’s forgotten password could have cost him millions of dollars. However, the ingenuity of the hackers who recovered his Bitcoin shows that even the most complex security measures can be overcome.
