<h3>1. How is the pruned node run for Specter? Is it running off of Bitcoin Core directly?</h3>
<ul>
<li>In the Specter setup a pruned node is directly downloaded from Bitcoin Core with the 1-click install in ≥ v1.3.0, as shown in Coinkite's <em><a href="https://youtu.be/VWze8xtH72I?t=78" rel="nofollow noreferrer">How To Use Specter Wallet</a></em> video.</li>
<li>A user on bitcointalk.org provided clarity on using a pruned node in <em><a href="https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5334772.0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this post</a></em>.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>Security of running a full node versus a light client is obviously higher. Being pruned doesn't change the fact that the node is still a full node, it just doesn't store the historical blocks that are too old.</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>It seems I was confusing Specter's usage of Blockstream for their Bitcoin explorer with running the Bitcoin Core node which is unrelated.</li>
</ul>
<h3>2. Is the privacy risk mitigated by connecting Bitcoin Core's pruned node through Tor/VPN (That do not save/collect logs)?</h3>
<ul>
<li>The <em><a href="https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5334772.0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">bitcointalk.org post</a></em> also mentions there are potential privacy implications from exposing the Bitcoin Core node on a non-private IP address.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>Chain analyzers are analyzing the &quot;chain&quot; not the network although that is a possibility but it is a much harder thing to do. However, you do gain additional privacy when running your clients through TOR since it prevents other kinds of attack such as packet sniffing.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-03T19:01:07.853Z
2021-05-03T19:01:07.853Z
AdamHurwitz
<h3>What are the security tradeoffs of running a pruned Bitcoin Core node for a multisig wallet, such as Specter?</h3>
<p>It seems that using a multisig wallet with a pruned Bitcoin Core node could be a good incremental improvement of securing assets vs. storing funds on an exchange or on a single seed hardware wallet.</p>
<ol>
<li><p><em>How is the pruned node run for Specter? Is it running off of Bitcoin Core directly?</em>
I've heard that similar services, Unchained Capital, run a node supported by Blockstream if I understand correctly.</p>
</li>
<li><p><em>Is the privacy risk mitigated by connecting Bitcoin Core's pruned node through Tor/VPN (That do not save/collect logs)?</em>
Chain analysis companies are able to gather information from non-self-hosted nodes and tie it to personal information.</p>
</li>
<li><p><em>Are there additional tradeoffs to consider?</em></p>
</li>
</ol>

<bitcoin-core><wallet><security><multi-signature><full-node>
Multisig Wallet Setup - Security Tradeoffs With Pruned Bitcoin Core Node?
AdamHurwitz
# Multisig Wallet Setup - Security Tradeoffs With Pruned Bitcoin Core Node?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-03)

### What are the security tradeoffs of running a pruned Bitcoin Core node for a multisig wallet, such as Specter?

It seems that using a multisig wallet with a pruned Bitcoin Core node could be a good incremental improvement of securing assets vs. storing funds on an exchange or on a single seed hardware wallet.

1. *How is the pruned node run for Specter? Is it running off of Bitcoin Core directly?*
   I've heard that similar services, Unchained Capital, run a node supported by Blockstream if I understand correctly.
2. *Is the privacy risk mitigated by connecting Bitcoin Core's pruned node through Tor/VPN (That do not save/collect logs)?*
   Chain analysis companies are able to gather information from non-self-hosted nodes and tie it to personal information.
3. *Are there additional tradeoffs to consider?*

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, wallet, security, multi-signature, full-node


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2021-05-03. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

### 1. How is the pruned node run for Specter? Is it running off of Bitcoin Core directly?

* In the Specter setup a pruned node is directly downloaded from Bitcoin Core with the 1-click install in ≥ v1.3.0, as shown in Coinkite's *[How To Use Specter Wallet](https://youtu.be/VWze8xtH72I?t=78)* video.
* A user on bitcointalk.org provided clarity on using a pruned node in *[this post](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5334772.0)*.

> Security of running a full node versus a light client is obviously higher. Being pruned doesn't change the fact that the node is still a full node, it just doesn't store the historical blocks that are too old.

* It seems I was confusing Specter's usage of Blockstream for their Bitcoin explorer with running the Bitcoin Core node which is unrelated.

### 2. Is the privacy risk mitigated by connecting Bitcoin Core's pruned node through Tor/VPN (That do not save/collect logs)?

* The *[bitcointalk.org post](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5334772.0)* also mentions there are potential privacy implications from exposing the Bitcoin Core node on a non-private IP address.

> Chain analyzers are analyzing the "chain" not the network although that is a possibility but it is a much harder thing to do. However, you do gain additional privacy when running your clients through TOR since it prevents other kinds of attack such as packet sniffing.


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