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Browser wallet stores seed phrase and signing material unencrypted in localStorage #28

Description

@Rob1Ham

Component: web-wallet/ (checkpoint persistence)
Severity: Disclosed PoC boundary (README warning); filed per request for completeness

Summary

The WASM web wallet persists its checkpoint — including the BIP39 mnemonic (from which every coin secret, transfer auth key, and recovery-fee key derives) — unencrypted in browser localStorage. The README discloses this:

"The browser wallet stores its seed phrase and signing material unencrypted in localStorage."

Consequences beyond key theft by XSS/malicious extensions: snapshots survive in browser profile backups and sync; the mnemonic also derives the recovery-fee key, so theft covers both the statecoins and the funds meant to pay for unilateral exits.

Suggested direction

Passkey/WebAuthn-gated encryption of the checkpoint blob (PRF-derived KEK), or session-only storage for the mnemonic with explicit re-entry for signing operations.

Found during security review of feature/bip448-web-wallet-mutinynet @ 64d2423.

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