An extended private key, or xprv, is a private key which can be used to derive child private keys as part of a Hierarchical Deterministic (HD) wallet. Almost all Bitcoin wallets use this HD format since the adoption of BIP 32, as it allows a single extended private key, called the master private key, to back up and regenerate all public and private keys in a given wallet.
Master private keys and extended private keys are often conflated. An extended private key is any private key which can be used to generate child private keys. A master private key is the extended private key at the root of a HD tree, and is derived directly from the seed of a HD wallet.
If a single private key is leaked, you can lose the funds associated with that key. However, if your xprv is leaked, all of the funds associated with all of its child private keys are compromised. All xprv keys will begin with the letters ‘xprv’ followed by a long string of letters and numbers.
FAQs
An extended private key is any private key which can be used to generate child private keys. A master private key is the extended private key at the root of a HD tree, and is derived directly from the seed of a HD wallet.
What are extended keys? ›
Extended Keys is an optimization set with the optimizer_switch system variable, which makes use of existing components of InnoDB keys to generate more efficient execution plans. Using these components in many cases allows the server to generate execution plans which employ index-only look-ups.
What are extended public keys? ›
An extended public key, or xpub, is a public key which can be used to derive child public keys as part of a Hierarchical Deterministic (HD) wallet. An extended public key is a Bitcoin standard established by BIP 32 and is mainly used by a wallet behind the scenes in order to derive public keys.
What is the difference between a secret phrase and a private key? ›
While a Secret Recovery Phrase is used to create and restore your entire MetaMask Wallet, including all accounts created in that wallet, each account has its own private key. This key can be used to import that account, and that account only, into a different wallet.
What is my private key string? ›
A private key is a randomly generated number usually presented in 64-digit hexadecimal form. A public key is generated from this number and is used to generate a cryptocurrency address.
What is an extended private key? ›
An extended private key is any private key which can be used to generate child private keys. A master private key is the extended private key at the root of a HD tree, and is derived directly from the seed of a HD wallet. If a single private key is leaked, you can lose the funds associated with that key.
What are the 4 types of keys? ›
The keys on your keyboard can be divided into several groups based on function:
- Typing (alphanumeric) keys. These keys include the same letter, number, punctuation, and symbol keys found on a traditional typewriter.
- Control keys. ...
- Function keys. ...
- Navigation keys. ...
- Numeric keypad.
Unlike private keys, which must be kept secure and confidential, public keys are meant to be shared openly. Public keys are widely distributed as part of the public key infrastructure, allowing anyone to encrypt data or messages intended for the corresponding owner of the public key.
Are public keys longer than private keys? ›
The cipher text (the encrypted message or transaction) from public key cryptography can be significantly larger than the original plain text. This is because public keys are typically much longer than private keys, and they need to be included in every encrypted message or transaction.
Is it safe to share an xPub key? ›
Yes, it is safe to share your XPUB key with others. Since it can only generate public keys and addresses, sharing it does not compromise the security of your wallet. However, avoid sharing your recovery seed or seed phrase, as that would allow access to your funds.
Wallets that are imported with a private key will only have the option to view the private key. The seed phrase option is not available for these wallets. Private key accounts are not tied to the wallet's seed phrase. They have a separate seed phrase that was generated when the wallet was created.
Are private keys passwords? ›
You can think of the private key as a password that unlocks the virtual vault that holds your money. As long as you — and only you — have access to your private key, your funds are safe and can be managed anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
What is an example of a private key? ›
Private key encryption is often used to encrypt data stored or transmitted between two parties. For example, when you log in to a website using a username and password, the password is often encrypted using a private key before it is transmitted to the web server.
Where is my private key stored? ›
The path to your private key is listed in your site's virtual host file. Navigate to the server block for your site (by default, it's located in the /var/www directory). Open the configuration file for your site and search for ssl_certificate_key which will show the path to your private key.
How do I fetch a private key? ›
There are 2 ways to get to the Private key in cPanel:
- Using SSL/TLS Manager. On the cPanel home page, click on “SSL/TLS Manager” and then on the “Private keys” button. ...
- Using File Manager. Click on the File Manager button from the cPanel home screen and open the window like on the screenshot below.
Your private key is a list of letters and numbers—different to your Secret Recovery Phrase. On Phantom, you can find this via the 'settings cog' in the bottom right-hand corner and click 'export Private Key'.
What are extension keys? ›
The "extension key" is a string that uniquely identifies the extension. The folder in which the extension is located is named by this string.
What is the difference between basic and extended keyboard? ›
1) Key Layout: One of the primary differences between a standard keyboard and an enhanced keyboard is the key layout. A standard keyboard typically follows the traditional QWERTY layout, while an enhanced keyboard may have additional keys or modified key arrangements.
What is extended key usage? ›
Extended Key Usage extensions (EKUs) are newer and are generally used to restrict usage while the Key Usage Extensions (KUEs) are considered less flexible. KUEs is defined in terms of “operations whereas EKUs are defined in terms of “operations”.
What extended keyboard means? ›
An extended keyboard is a type of computer keyboard that includes additional keys beyond the standard keys found on a typical keyboard.
