# @pcaversaccio: Infostealers are crypto's biggest problem, weak OS design enables

Source: https://farcaster.xyz/pcaversaccio/0xe38e52e9
Kiwi News: https://news.kiwistand.com/stories/pcaversaccio-Infostealers-are-cryptos-biggest-problem-weak-OS-design-enables?index=0x688f6f4ae77d5334d6fe2d87c47edd692eb0a5ab7e02e7bc0c09f01301351aeaaac64c0d
Submitted by @timdaub.eth on 2025-08-03 UTC, 9 upvotes, 1 comment

## Summary

Pcaversaccio argues that infostealers are probably the biggest problem facing the crypto ecosystem, based on a review of the last months' SEAL 911 tickets. He says weak OS design, including weak data compartmentalisation and permissive default trust models, is the major enabler, especially on macOS and Windows. He calls for prioritising security-first OS choices, such as QubesOS, over UX, while acknowledging that moving most users there is not realistic.

## Article

This morning I've been reviewing our last months' SEAL 911 tickets. Guys, it's clear that soon (probably sooner than you think) a large portion of our ecosystem will be running on compromised devices. I mean, man, infostealers are probably the _biggest_ ecosystem problem right now. However, and that's what I want to address here, is that OS design choices like weak data compartmentalisation & permissive default trust models are the _major enablers_, especially on macOS and Windows. Please remember: these OSes weren't built with the strict sandboxing, strong application isolation, or zero-trust principles needed to defend against these today's threats! I understand that shifting most of the space to something like QubesOS isn't realistic, but we must start prioritising security-first OS choices in our ecosystem, not just UX. Honestly, fancy features won't stop your device from being compromised.

## Comments

**misha**: > And while I'm at it, please don't store assets in hot wallets. Just don't. Also, don't take pics of your seed phrase with your phone. There are malicious apps that can use OCR to scan images for seeds. Cold storage means no connection to the internet, period. 

Next to these great tips, I would like to add that your Farcaster wallet is essentially a hot wallet and should be treated as such.