Bitcoin: Verify Hash from bitaddress.org without the original HTML file

07 Feb Bitcoin: Verify Hash from bitaddress.org without the original HTML file

Verifying a Bitcoin Wallet on Linux Using the sha1sum Command

As of Bitcoin version 3.0, it is no longer possible to directly download or verify the SHA256 hash of the bitaddress.org page. However, we can still use the “sha1sum” command to compare the generated hash with the original.

Hash Checking Issue on bitaddress.org

2022 In January, Bitmain, a Bitcoin company, announced that it would no longer allow users to download or verify the SHA256 hash of the bitcoin.org page. This change was likely motivated by security concerns and a desire to prevent potential exploitation.

Therefore, using sha1sum on bitaddress.org will not work as expected. To compare the generated hash with the original, an alternative method will be needed.

Hash Check via Linux

To check if you are using the genuine version of bitaddress.org, you can use the following command:

”type

sha1sum <(echo -n "$SHA256_HASH" | urlcode) > /dev/null

Let's break down what this command does:
<(echo -n "$SHA256_HASH"): Runs a shell command that echoes the generated SHA256 hash string.
"urlencode()": This function converts the input string to URL encoded format, making it safe to use in an HTTP header.

How ​​to use the command



Replace “$SHA256_HASH” with the actual SHA256 hash string generated from the bitaddress.org HTML file.
Save this command as a shell script or copy and paste it directly into your terminal.
Make sure the script has execute permissions: chmod +x script_name.sh
Run the script using the terminal: ./script_name.sh

Example Output
If you generated the SHA256 hash string correctly, the output should be identical to the original bitaddress.org page. If not, something is wrong.
For example:
''type
$ sha1sum <(echo -n "your_hash_here" | urlencode) > /dev/null
SHA256_HASH (your_hash_here) ... ... ...
Bitcoin wallet verification failed.

Conclusion

Although using "sha1sum" on bitaddress.org does not work as expected, this command is a useful alternative to verify the authenticity of the generated hash string. By following these steps, you should be able to verify that you are using the authentic version of bitaddress.org and resolve any issues with SHA256 hashes.