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If a recovery phrase or private key may have been seen, assume the wallet is compromised: stop using the exposed device, create a new wallet with a new phrase on a trusted device, and move remaining assets as soon as you can verify every destination and network. If the phrase itself was not exposed and the concern is only a suspicious token approval, revoke that permission instead; the two situations require different responses.
Take these steps first
Speed matters, but a rushed transfer to the wrong address can create a second, permanent loss. Work through this sequence and use a device you trust.
- Stop wallet activity on a possibly compromised device. If the phone or computer where you entered the phrase, downloaded software, or noticed the incident may contain malware, disconnect it from the internet and do not use it for signing or recovery. Kraken’s guidance recommends moving to a secure device. Do not reconnect the old device merely to check the balance.
- Create a replacement wallet on the trusted device. Install wallet software only from its official distribution channel. Generate a completely new recovery phrase. Write it down and store it privately; never type the new phrase into a website, chat, support form, cloud note, or unsolicited “recovery” service. A new app password does not create a new wallet.
- Move assets from the exposed wallet. From the trusted interface, send the remaining assets to the new wallet promptly. Carefully compare the full destination address and the selected network before confirming. Blockchain transfers are final, and the available migration steps differ by chain and asset, so follow the wallet’s documented procedure rather than assuming one method works everywhere.
- Handle approvals separately. If you granted a contract permission to spend tokens, revoke that approval and disconnect unknown decentralized applications where the wallet supports it. Revoking an approval limits that permission; it does not make an exposed phrase or private key safe. If the key material was exposed, migration remains necessary even after every approval is revoked.
- Secure connected accounts. For an embedded wallet, protect the associated email, Google, Apple, or passkey account, end sessions you do not recognize, and change the account password where applicable. Ethereum.org also advises changing passwords for linked exchange accounts and enabling two-factor authentication on crypto-related accounts.
- Retire the exposed phrase. Do not continue receiving funds to, signing from, or importing the old wallet. Changing only the wallet app’s passcode can prevent casual access to the app, but it cannot stop somebody who has the phrase or private key from using another wallet application.
Identify what was actually exposed
The correct remedy depends on whether an attacker obtained the credential that controls the wallet or only received permission to spend a particular token.
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Recovery phrase or private key
A recovery (seed) phrase can recreate the wallet, and a private key can authorize transactions for its account. Treat either as a complete compromise. The person who has it does not need your app password, phone, or browser session. Create a new wallet and migrate assets; do not wait for an unauthorized transaction as proof.
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Exposure includes typing the phrase into a web form, sending it in a message, photographing it where others can access it, storing it in an exposed cloud account, or importing it into software you no longer trust. The same response applies if someone merely claims to have copied it and you cannot establish that they did not.
Suspicious token approval
An approval is an on-chain permission for a contract to spend a specified token balance. Scammers can persuade users to approve unlimited spending without ever obtaining the recovery phrase. In that narrower case, inspect the wallet and transaction history, revoke the unwanted permission, and disconnect the unfamiliar application.
Disconnecting a decentralized application does not automatically erase an approval already recorded on-chain. Conversely, revoking approvals does not protect a wallet whose phrase or private key has leaked. Use the key-exposure path whenever there is doubt.
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| What you know | Who may control funds | Priority response | What is not enough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery phrase or private key may be copied | Anyone with the key material can create transactions | New wallet on a trusted device, then migrate remaining assets | Changing an app password or disconnecting a dApp |
| Only a token approval looks suspicious | The approved contract may spend the permitted token, subject to the approval | Revoke the approval, review transactions, and disconnect the dApp | Assuming a dApp disconnect removed the on-chain permission |
| Embedded wallet account may be accessed | Someone controlling the linked account may reach the wallet | Secure the email, social login, or passkey account and end unknown sessions | Ignoring the account because no seed phrase was displayed |
Move funds without creating a second loss
Prepare the destination
Use the replacement wallet’s receive screen on the trusted device. Confirm that the address belongs to the new wallet and that the network shown in the sending interface matches the network selected for the destination. Addresses can look similar, and a valid address on the wrong network may not be usable by the intended wallet.
Inventory every asset and network
List the balances, collectibles, and networks held by the exposed wallet. A single recovery phrase can control accounts on multiple networks, while an embedded wallet may present several assets behind one account. The sources do not establish one universal transaction order or migration procedure for every chain. Use the wallet’s official instructions for each asset and preserve enough of the relevant network’s fee balance to complete the transfer when the interface requires it.
Verify each transaction before signing
- Compare the complete destination address, not just its first and last characters.
- Check the network selector in both the sending and receiving interfaces.
- Read the transaction summary and contract interaction before approving it.
- Keep a record of transaction IDs and the destination wallet for your own incident log.
- If an asset cannot be moved through the normal interface, stop and use the wallet developer’s official documentation rather than a stranger’s instructions.
Once an asset has been sent to the new wallet and the transaction is confirmed, do not return funds to the exposed address. If an attacker is actively draining the wallet, prioritize the assets that can be transferred safely and avoid signing unfamiliar “rescue” transactions.
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Revoke approvals and disconnect applications
Approval cleanup is a separate containment task for wallets that interacted with decentralized applications.
- Open the wallet’s official transaction or permission-management view.
- Identify contracts you do not recognize or no longer need, paying attention to the token and spending limit.
- Submit a revoke transaction for each unwanted permission and wait for confirmation.
- Use the wallet’s connected-apps list to disconnect unfamiliar sites.
- Review recent transactions for transfers or signatures you did not authorize.
These controls reduce the authority granted to a contract. They cannot reverse a completed transfer, and they cannot invalidate a copied private key. If the phrase was exposed, complete the wallet migration even when the approval list is empty.
Secure the device and linked accounts
When the original device is suspect
Keep the device offline while you assess it. Do not paste the old phrase into a second application to “test” whether it works. Perform recovery and transfers from a device with current operating-system updates, a trusted browser or wallet application, and no unverified extensions. If you cannot establish that the device is clean, use another device instead of trying to repair the incident while funds remain at risk.
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When the wallet is embedded in an account
Some wallets are created inside a service and authenticated through an email address, Google account, Apple account, or passkey rather than by displaying a seed phrase. Secure that authentication account first: change its password if one exists, enable two-factor authentication, review recovery methods, and terminate sessions you do not recognize. Check linked exchange accounts as well. An attacker who controls the login can potentially reach the embedded wallet even if you never disclosed a mnemonic phrase.
Protect the new backup
Ethereum.org says never to share a seed phrase or private key. The Singapore Police Force’s November 29, 2024 advisory recommends keeping such material in physical form at a secure location. Make the backup legible, protect it from unauthorized access and environmental damage, and do not keep the only copy in an internet-connected account.
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What cannot be recovered
Ethereum.org states, “No one can reverse blockchain transactions.” A wallet provider cannot undo a transfer that has already been confirmed on-chain. Kraken likewise says it cannot freeze a seed-phrase wallet or retrieve assets sent to another address.
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Be especially wary of anyone who promises to trace or recover coins for an upfront fee. Ethereum.org warns that this is almost certainly a second scam. Do not provide the new phrase, pay a “verification” charge, install remote-access software, or sign a transaction presented as a recovery step. Preserve transaction IDs, addresses, messages, and screenshots for a legitimate report, but treat recovery as uncertain rather than guaranteed.
Should you use a hardware wallet next?
A hardware wallet keeps private-key operations offline, and both Ethereum.org and the Singapore Police Force describe hardware wallets as an option for secure storage. MEW’s September 10, 2026 guidance also discusses hardware wallets for larger holdings. This can be a sensible long-term arrangement after you have migrated to a genuinely new phrase.
- Buy and initialize it through the manufacturer’s official channel, and generate a phrase on the device itself.
- Never import the already exposed phrase and assume the hardware makes it safe; exposure is permanent.
- Store the new physical backup securely and separately from the device.
- Review every transaction on the device before signing. Offline key storage does not stop a user from approving a malicious contract.
No particular hardware model is established here as safer than another. Choose based on documented support for the networks and assets you actually use, and follow the manufacturer’s current recovery instructions.
Choose the response path that matches your case
| Situation | Use this path | Stop when |
|---|---|---|
| Phrase or private key entered on an untrusted site | Disconnect the device, create a new wallet on a trusted device, migrate assets, then secure accounts | All remaining assets are in the new wallet and the old wallet is retired |
| Phrase photographed, messaged, or stored where others could access it | Assume compromise and follow the same migration path | The new backup is secured and no funds remain in the old wallet |
| Only an unfamiliar approval or dApp interaction | Revoke permissions, disconnect the dApp, and inspect history | Unwanted approvals are confirmed revoked and no unauthorized transfers appear |
| Embedded wallet with a suspicious login | Secure the linked account, end sessions, enable two-factor authentication, and review wallet activity | Account access is controlled and any remaining assets are protected |
| No assets remain in the exposed wallet | Retire the phrase, secure accounts, and monitor for related activity | You have documented the incident and no longer use the credential |
Use official help, not unsolicited support
Download wallet software only from the wallet developer’s official source. Legitimate support should not ask for a recovery phrase or private key. Never enter either into a “support” form, chat, giveaway page, or recovery service. Keep communications factual and avoid posting addresses or screenshots that reveal more personal information than necessary.
The dates on the guidance cited here matter because interfaces and account features change: Kraken’s article was last updated September 15, 2026; the Singapore Police Force advisory was published November 29, 2024; and MEW’s relevant article was published September 10, 2026. The core principle remains stable: exposed key material requires a new wallet and migration, while a limited approval problem calls for permission revocation.
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