According to a published blog post on its official site, Ledger, one of the most popular cryptocurrency hardware wallets in the world, has announced the launch of Ledger Live, its new mobile app. Ledger Live was designed to help serve as a mobile companion to the new Ledger Nano X hardware wallet, and it can also be used to provide secure management for the cryptocurrencies that are integrated with Ledger. Users will be able to manage their portfolios using the app regardless of their location or whether or not they have their Ledger wallets with them.
Compatibility and Features
Ledger Live is now available on iOS and Android devices. The app reportedly comes with a wide array of nifty features, including the ability to easily configure the hardware wallet. Users can also check the authenticity of the device and import accounts from the desktop version of the Ledger Live. The app comes with increased levels for security, including Touch ID, Face ID, and password protection.
Also, the Ledger Live provides support for over 1,000 digital assets, which can easily be stored on the platform. With the app, users can manage their balance, check their transaction history, get quick and easy reviews of their account history, make transfers with their account, and much more.
Meanwhile, users of Ledger Blue and Ledger Nano S will be able to make use of Ledger Live or their devices as well, albeit to a limited level. Android users will be able to use the app for effecting transactions, as long as they have an OTG cable. However, iOS users don’t have this feature just yet.
The new Ledger Nano X is the latest product from Ledger which features bluetooth connectivity and is available for pre-order now, with shipping due in March 2019. We have obtained a copy of the new wallet from ledger for purposes of a review which we are carrying out at the moment.
Security Issues with Hardware Wallets
Ledger seems to be focusing on security after the blowback that came from researchers who claimed to have hacked into the Ledger Nano S, the Ledger Blue and the Trezor One at the 35C3 Conference. During the 35C3 Refreshing Memories Conference, the researchers showed that they were able to get the private key of a Trezor One hardware wallet by flashing its custom firmware. They also claimed that they were able to install any firmware on a Ledger Nano S.
A member of the team claimed, “We can send malicious transactions to the ST31 [the secure chip] and even confirm it ourselves [via software,], or we can even go and show a different transaction [not the one that is actually being sent] on the screen.”
Considering the Ledger Blue, a hardware wallet that comes with a color touchscreen, the researchers claimed that they were able to transport signals to the screen via a long trace on the motherboard, so that the hardware leaked the signals as radio waves.
When a USB cable is connected to the wallet, the leaked signals become strong enough that they could easily be received through various meters.
Still, Ledger responded to the claims made by the researchers at the conference, where it stressed that the perceived security vulnerabilities didn’t pose any threats to the wallet’s security, chastising the researchers for not going through the appropriate channels.
“Ledger values all attempts to compromise our hardware wallets. We strongly believe that our Bounty program is the way towards continuous security improvements,” Ledger had explained in the post.
