TREZOR: Bitcoin Security Beyond Bitcoin
Introducing TREZOR Core and TREZOR 2


In the past few years, we have witnessed a tremendous degree of development in Bitcoin and blockchain technologies. Many exciting ideas have been pursued, applications and services have been developed, such as wallets, sidechains, competing currencies and more.
SatoshiLabs has also been one of these instrumental pioneers, introducing the first hardware wallet to the world, the TREZOR, the first mining pool, Slush Pool, but let’s not forget Coinmap either. These inventions from SatoshiLabs, but also from other developers in the community are what keeps the Bitcoin scene amazing and ever so interesting.
Development of Bitcoin can, however, transcend Bitcoin itself. After all, many other applications and inventions could benefit from the security practices of Bitcoin. And this is exactly what SatoshiLabs wants to introduce with the new TREZOR 2 — a platform on which you can build secure applications for your needs.
What Does TREZOR 1 Already Do?
Cryptocurrency Wallet
The Original Hardware Wallet
Created as the first hardware wallet in the world, it is fairly obvious that the main purpose of TREZOR is to hold the private keys to cryptocurrencies. By isolating the workspace with private keys, confidential data is never transmitted to any computer, thus minimizing the possible leakage of private keys. Without any exception, all operations with private keys are done exclusively inside the TREZOR. This applies to Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, but also DASH and Zcash.
However, since there are many applications of public key cryptography beyond Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general, TREZOR can do much more than just keep your bitcoins safe.
TREZOR Password Manager
Easy Encryption of Sensitive Data using Public-key Cryptography
One of our most interesting alternative applications of TREZOR is the TREZOR Password Manager — TPM. With TPM each entry is encrypted separately and uploaded into a cloud storage, assuring for convenience and security at the same time. We have done away with a master password that would immediately decrypt all passwords. Instead, entries are decrypted one-by-one, only on-demand and after confirmation.
The TREZOR Password Manager is also a proof of a wider applicability of Bitcoin security. Bitcoin technologies are not only limited to blockchain, but include various uses of cryptography too. If passwords could be securely stored like this, what prevents other data from being encrypted, using the TREZOR?
TREZOR As Login Token
TREZOR can not only save passwords and secure your cryptocurrencies, but you can also use it for passwordless login into services supporting TREZOR Connect API. Alternatively, you can use TREZOR as a second factor authenticator, using the emerging U2F standard (more secure than one-time passwords.) More on U2F support here.

It also supports SSH login and GPG encryption, making it even more versatile for users with security in mind.
Native Wallet Integration
We have also made it much simpler to use TREZOR with different services. For instance, you do not need to access your wallet separately, in order to transfer funds between an exchange and your TREZOR. You can manage your device from the interface of the exchange directly. Most recent case of such integration was with Bitstamp.
Embedded TREZOR accounts give you a very convenient, yet safe way to hold or trade your cryptocurrencies.
All of these features have already made TREZOR the most versatile and useful device on the market. With TREZOR 2 though, thanks to the new software stack and a more powerful hardware, even more is possible.
Next Generation Hardware Wallet — TREZOR 2
TREZOR 1 was definitely a success, proven by its popularity and satisfaction of our users. For that reason, we have decided to continue with the development and release an even greater TREZOR. With TREZOR 2, we are bringing you even more comfort with its current security design. On the hardware side, we are introducing several fundamental changes: a full-color touchscreen display, a microSD card slot for a separate storage of data or private keys and a faster processor . But the most important changes were done on the software side.
New Security Application Suite — TREZOR Core
With TREZOR 1, all firmware changes have to be implemented by SatoshiLabs, before they are released as a part of the official firmware. Moreover, the code of TREZOR 1 is written in C, which is a relatively advanced programming language. These hurdles to software development will disappear with the TREZOR 2.
TREZOR 2 will come with TREZOR Core, a collection of tools that will enable a wider community to take part in programming and contributing to the code.
TREZOR Core includes a micropython interpreter enabling community programmers to write the code in a beginner-friendly Python language. This new software stack will allow developers to flash their own firmware with their own header and welcome screen.
After building new firmware, independent developers can ask SatoshiLabs to co-sign their vendor header. All third-party firmware with signed vendor headers running on TREZOR 2 can be proven to be built and released by a specific developer. This is opening a huge space for custom applications built around individual security and privacy.
SatoshiLabs, however, cannot assure for the safety of the code of third parties, despite signing the vendor header for the developer. By using custom firmware, you trust the third-party developers.

Case Study: Simple Notary Service
This is a simple case study demonstrating the possibilities of the new software stack on TREZOR 2. It was quickly prepared by Marek ‘Slush’ Palatinus during the conference in Buenos Aires, in order to showcase the simplicity of coding for TREZOR 2 with Python.
In this example, we are showing how you could use TREZOR as a signing device for various kinds of documents. The TREZOR 2 streams a preview of the document from the computer and signs it with a unique signature from your TREZOR, after your approval. While this is not a breakthrough use-case, the code shows how simple it will be to program security applications with TREZOR 2.
If this code was quickly assembled during a conference, just imagine the possibilities of TREZOR 2.

Thank You!
We are very excited about where SatoshiLabs and TREZOR are headed, but we wouldn’t be able to do this without your support. Thanks for the continuous motivational messages and appreciations on various social networks! We love working with and for this amazing community!
Last but not least, Thank You laBITconf for organizing an amazing event in Buenos Aires! Great to have met amazing people and fans of not only TREZOR, but of various cryptocurrencies, startups, ideas and people from around the world!
About Us
TREZOR is the first and most trusted hardware wallet, selling in more than 100 countries world-wide. It offers a variety of security applications, while maintaining an absolute ease-of-use, whether you are a security expert or a general user.
SatoshiLabs is the innovator behind some of the most pivotal and influential projects in Bitcoin worldwide: TREZOR, the bitcoin wallet; CoinMap.org, the Bitcoin map; or Slush Pool, the world’s first bitcoin mining pool.
Links
Video of the Presentation at laBITconf in Buenos Aires: Youtube.com
TREZOR Shop
TREZOR: trezor.io
User Manual: Documentation