How Sleeper Wallets Are Created
Overview
Sleeper wallets, or blockchain legends, are Ethereum wallet addresses crafted with attestations and activity to appear credible, often for sale as synthetic identities. This page explains how these wallets are created, focusing on the role of attestations and services like Zipwire in establishing their trustworthiness.
The Creation Process
Creating a sleeper wallet involves generating an Ethereum address and building its credibility through attestations and transactions. Here's how it typically works:
Generate a Wallet: An individual or service creates a new Ethereum wallet address using standard tools like MetaMask or a custom script.
Obtain Attestations: The wallet is linked to attestations—verifiable claims about the wallet holder's identity or attributes. For example, a service like Zipwire can perform an ID check and issue an attestation to the wallet.
Build Activity: To enhance credibility, the wallet may engage in token transfers, dApp interactions, or other blockchain transactions, creating a history that mimics legitimate use.
Prepare for Sale: Once attested and active, the wallet can be sold to buyers seeking pre-verified identities for immediate use.
The "IsAHuman" Attestation
A good attestation for sleeper wallets is "IsAHuman," issued by services like Zipwire. This attestation is a simple boolean (true or false) indicating whether the wallet holder has passed a human verification check, such as an ID submission. Because it doesn't hold any identity information, someone could pass the ID checks using Zipwire to receive this attestation and then sell or let someone else control the wallet.
Attestations that are tied to a checked identity document help mitigate this, so long as the consuming software asks for a signed and dated 'proof'. See Understanding Merkle Trees and Proofs.
Limitations
The "IsAHuman" attestation alone is not a definitive proof of humanity. It's a starting point, and its reliability depends on:
Who issued it: The attester must be trusted and secure.
When it was issued: Recent attestations reduce the risk of wallet compromise.
Additional context: Other attestations or transaction history provide a fuller picture.
Zipwire's Role in Attestations
Zipwire facilitates wallet attestation by verifying identities and issuing attestations on the Base blockchain. For the official wallet address and public key details, see Zipwire's Master Attester Wallet Address and Public Key.
Security Note
These details could be altered if a hacker compromises Zipwire's documentation. To ensure authenticity, cross-reference the GitHub source and check the attestation history on the Base blockchain using EAS Scan: https://base.easscan.org/. Search for Zipwire's master address to verify its activity.
Why It Matters
Understanding how sleeper wallets are created highlights the mechanics of attestation and the importance of trusted issuers like Zipwire. However, attestations are only as reliable as their source and context. The next step is verifying these wallets to ensure they haven't been compromised or misused.
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