Best Practices and User Education for Securing the Lightning Network

I just posted this and I think it will be helpful. Here are some best practices with regards to Lightning Network security, especially on the user side of things.

Background

User related vulnerabilities are a big deal in the crypto space. A lot of security problems arise not from the tech, but from users either neglecting their basic security (and getting compromised) or using machines that are already compromised.

For example, a recent vulnerability in LND was attributed to a bug in the software, but that bug was a result of the user machine being compromised, not a flaw in the software itself…

Specifics for Lightning

Here’s the specifics. Lightning is relatively new, and there are some existing vulnerabilities that exist in it. One I’m thinking of is the ECDSA signature implementation flaw. It can leak your private key and allow someone to drain your wallets.

There’s also the cycling replacement attack. This exploits a weakness in the HTLCs that LND uses.

Best Practices

So here are some best practices to secure your crypto bot platform.

Use a good OS. A good Linux distro is best and it should be one that is actively supported and patched regularly.

Setup a firewall. Allow incoming connections only from sources you trust.

Use a VPN (like Mullvad, etc).

Keep your software up to date. Enable automatic updates for OS and lightning network implementation.

Don’t expose your private keys. Store your private keys in a hardware wallet or other secure offline location.

Use two factor authentication.

Regularly monitor and manage your channels. This means closing unused channels and/or setting timeouts to close inactive ones.

Educating Users

User education is key. Encourage them to contribute to enhancing their own online security. Here are some methods

Educate users about common cybersecurity risks, especially scams like phishing and social engineering.

Provide basic best practices for security – strong password practices, use of a password manager, need for regular software updates.

Create interactive education: tutorials, webinars, FAQs etc…

Offer regular education updates.

Summary

Hope you find this helpful.