qrkey is a command-line tool for generating and recovering QR codes from files for offline private key backup. - Techwolf12/qrkey
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Be careful where you print these. Most full-featured printer/copier/scanner devices found in office environments can store print job data on the HD where service technicians can access it.
By lozf 2025-06-140:08 There's always paper-age[0] for those who want to add symmetric encryption (via age) to their qr-encoded secrets! ;)
[0]: https://github.com/matiaskorhonen/paper-age
Edit: I now see it was already mentioned.
By yencabulator 2025-06-1321:25 For extra fun, the printer is likely either on the network or has bluetooth. Age-old poorly written embedded computer with network services written in C is the industry standard. It's totally plausible to break in and steal previously-printed data.
By techwolf12 2025-06-1318:39 I'll use my own printer, and after it dies on me, I will give it the Office Space treatment ;)
By cornstalks 2025-06-1314:344 reply I keep meaning to do something like this in combination with Shamir’s secret sharing (which allows you to split a secret into M blocks, of which any N can be combined to recover the key, and M and N are configurable) to distribute a private key among family members in case of my untimely demise so they can more easily access my financial accounts and stuff. Has anyone done that before, and if so, what tools do you prefer? My family members are nontechnical so that’s the biggest challenge.
I've seen https://github.com/cyphar/paperback before which basically does this, I believe. I haven't used it in the context of letting other people recover things though.
By vorgol 2025-06-1315:02 Visual cryptography is really cool. Shamir and Naor came up with an algorithm in the 90s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_cryptography#Example
Basically hand out transparencies to n people, and they all have to overlap to see the picture. It's like magic when you're playing with them.
By EthanHeilman 2025-06-1318:20 Codex32 allows you perform Shamir secret sharing operations and error correcting code without using a computer. Instead, you can perform the operations by hand using cardboard code wheels called volvelles.
It is a really fun idea and does not require deep technical knowledge to operate. The intent is for Bitcoin secret keys, but it can be used for any secrets.
By frumiousirc 2025-06-1411:19 One use that I've seen reported whas when Naomi Wu / SexyCyborg was taken into custody by Chinese gov't officials, her friends used SSS to gain access to her social media accounts to report the abduction.
By unboxingelf 2025-06-145:17 superbacked, now free and open source, does exactly this.
By vorgol 2025-06-1315:06 There was also a good thread about paper storage the other day: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44142565
