Shamir's Secret Sharing
security · wallet
A cryptographic method to split a secret into multiple shares so any threshold subset can reconstruct it.
- Also known as
- SSS, SLIP-0039
Shamir's Secret Sharing splits a secret into multiple shares using threshold cryptography. In an M-of-N setup, any M shares can reconstruct the secret, while fewer than M shares reveal no useful information.
Some wallets use SLIP-0039, a standardized mnemonic format based on Shamir-style sharing. Shares still need careful storage, clear labeling, and tested recovery; confusing shares from different backups can make recovery fail.
Related terms
Seed Phrase
→A human-readable backup that can recreate a wallet’s private keys, addresses, and spend authority.
wallet · security
Multi-Signature (multisig)
→A spending policy that requires a defined threshold of several keys or signers.
security · wallet
Backup
→A redundant copy of critical wallet data (seeds, descriptors, keys) stored to recover funds if a device is lost.
wallet · security