<p>This idea is basically delegation: the root key delegates the ability to sign for an output to another key. This is not possible in Bitcoin, but there has been discussion about such delegation in the form of <a href="https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2018-February/015700.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Graftroot</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>With graftroot, the participants establish a threshold key, optionally
with a taproot alternative, just as they do with taproot.  At any
time, they can delegate their ability to sign to a surrogate script by
signing that script (and just the script) with their taproot key, and
sharing that delegation with whomever they choose.   Later, when it
comes time to spend the coin, if the signers aren't available and the
script must be used,  the redeeming party does whatever is required to
satisfy the script (e.g. provides their own signature and a timelock,
or whatnot)  and presents that information along with the signer's
signature of the script.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-27T01:58:32.127Z
2022-03-27T01:58:32.127Z
Ava Chow
<p>I am wondering if it is possible to implement this flow with bitcoin private keys, similar to how certificate authorities have a root cert and an intermediate cert used to sign csr's.  It would be nice to have this feature for a wallet, where you could keep your root safe but have some limited signing ability via an intermediate.  Has anyone thought about something like this before?</p>

<wallet><signature><cryptography><wallet-security>
Is it Possible to Create Signature Chains for Private Keys to Sign Transactions with? Similar to how Certificate Authorities Use Intermediate Certs?
bobandweave
# Is it Possible to Create Signature Chains for Private Keys to Sign Transactions with? Similar to how Certificate Authorities Use Intermediate Certs?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-03-26)

I am wondering if it is possible to implement this flow with bitcoin private keys, similar to how certificate authorities have a root cert and an intermediate cert used to sign csr's. It would be nice to have this feature for a wallet, where you could keep your root safe but have some limited signing ability via an intermediate. Has anyone thought about something like this before?

**Tags:** wallet, signature, cryptography, wallet-security


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-03-27. Score: 1

This idea is basically delegation: the root key delegates the ability to sign for an output to another key. This is not possible in Bitcoin, but there has been discussion about such delegation in the form of [Graftroot](https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2018-February/015700.html).

> With graftroot, the participants establish a threshold key, optionally
> with a taproot alternative, just as they do with taproot. At any
> time, they can delegate their ability to sign to a surrogate script by
> signing that script (and just the script) with their taproot key, and
> sharing that delegation with whomever they choose. Later, when it
> comes time to spend the coin, if the signers aren't available and the
> script must be used, the redeeming party does whatever is required to
> satisfy the script (e.g. provides their own signature and a timelock,
> or whatnot) and presents that information along with the signer's
> signature of the script.


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