A ParmAirGap is a Linux Air-gapped laptop that can be used for…
- Safe key generation – see my guide
- Key testing/verification – check the seed you use on your hardware wallet is correctly generating addresses and not using a secret parallel seed to trick you.
- Writing encrypted letters – Useful with Parman’s Inheritance Planning Service. See my guide to encrypt files with gpg.
- Key storage (but you should encrypt if you do that, eg password protected wallet files). Even if you don’t the drive is encrypted.
- Stateless wallet access (don’t save seeds and enter them each time)
- Signing device (Use the camera to capture QR codes from your ParmandL Laptop which has your watching wallet connected on the same machine to your node).
- OPTIONAL – Add an additional reredundant password for drive encryption, with Parman available for recovery.
- OPTIONAL – Tails OS USB drive, a mobile and easy to hide encrypted drive/OS with Electrum Wallet that can attach to your ParmAirGap. Add your wallet files here, and import transactions to sign via QR codes.
Notable Features…
- The internal drive is encrypted, so even if an attacker takes apart the machine, then cannot explore the contents of the drive.
- The WiFi, BlueTooth, and WWAN (mobile) chips have been physically removed, and antenna wire connections removed.
- The BIOS has been configured for optimal security and tamper resistance.
- A hardware password is required to use the device (before the OS asks for a password)
- The Terminal history has been disabled.
- It has a webcam so you can use QR code communication.
- The USB ports are functional – you can take new USB drives, format them with the ParmAirGap, and encrypt and transfer data.
- On the machine, you’ll find Linux Mint operating system, Electrum Wallet, Sparrow Wallet, Ian Coleman’s BIP39 key generation tool, and the BIP39 wordlist. GPG is installed by default and it can be used to encrypt files – A guide to use gpg is included.
- ParmaShell – Open source shortcuts to give you a more beautiful and easy Terminal experience.
- Extra security in that a ParmAirGap looks like a regular laptop rather than a known Bitcoin device.
Alternative…
- Another option is a ParmAirGap Zero, based off a Raspberry Pi Zero device, which is cheaper, but not nearly as delightful to use.
POS Web App (can be slow to load, please wait a minute)…
** Refurbished laptops are in good condition, but please understand there may be minor scratches and scuff marks.