Can Someone Force Me to Unlock My Bitcoin Vault?

Coercion sometimes called a "wrench attack" in Bitcoin circles is a real concern for anyone holding significant Bitcoin. Here's how Evoke's multisig architecture helps protect you.

Why multisig defends against coercion

The key insight is that Evoke's 2-of-3 multisig distributes your keys across multiple devices and locations. An attacker demanding access to your Bitcoin would need to:

• Force you to produce two different keys simultaneously
• Gain physical access to both hardware wallets (which we recommend storing in separate locations)
• Get past Evoke's identity verification if they tried to use the recovery key path

This is significantly harder than compromising a single-key wallet, where one hardware wallet and one PIN would be sufficient.

The Evoke recovery key as a failsafe

Even if an attacker forces you to hand over one of your personal keys, they would still need Evoke's recovery key to move funds. And Evoke requires identity verification before using the recovery key — which means an attacker impersonating you would need to pass that check.

Practical steps to protect yourself

1. Store your two hardware wallets in separate physical locations. A home safe and a bank safety deposit box, for example. An attacker at your home cannot access the second key.
2. Don't advertise your Bitcoin holdings publicly. The best defence against targeted coercion is not being a target.
3. Consider decoy wallets. Keep a small amount of Bitcoin in an easily accessible wallet as a "decoy" for coercion scenarios, while your main holdings are in your multisig vault.
4. Set up Evoke's Annual Verification to ensure your contacts are prepared if a worst-case scenario occurs.

Limits of any security system

No security system is perfect against a sufficiently determined attacker. However, Evoke's architecture raises the cost and complexity of attack significantly — making you a much less attractive target than users holding Bitcoin in single-key wallets.

Security tip: Store your two hardware wallets in separate physical locations. This makes it practically impossible for an attacker to access both keys at once.