WHALE SAFETY FIELD GUIDE
Plain language glossary
| Term | Meaning in this guide |
|---|---|
| Whale | A person whose real or perceived crypto wealth may attract attention; no fixed balance threshold |
| Principal | The person the household or protection team is helping protect |
| Custody | The arrangement for controlling assets and authorising transactions |
| Self custody | You control the signing authority, with the associated recovery responsibilities |
| Seed or recovery phrase | Words used by some wallets to reconstruct keys; disclosure can give control of affected accounts |
| Private key | Secret signing material that can authorise activity for an account |
| Passphrase | In relevant wallets, extra secret input that derives a different wallet; not a universal resettable password |
| Multisignature | A setup requiring a threshold of signing authorities for its ordinary approval path |
| MPC | Multi party computation; a way some systems distribute signing computation, with design specific recovery and administration |
| Token approval | Permission for a contract to spend tokens under specified conditions |
| Blind signing | Approving an action without being able to meaningfully inspect what is authorised |
| MFA | More than one authentication factor; the method and recovery path determine its strength |
| Passkey or security key | A possible phishing resistant login method based on cryptographic authentication; implementation and recovery matter |
| SIM swap or port out | An attacker obtains control of a mobile number through a replacement SIM or transfer process |
| Doxxing | Publishing identifying or private information that can expose someone to harm |
| OTC | An over the counter transaction negotiated outside an exchange order book; it still needs legal and counterparty checks |
| VASP | Virtual asset service provider; permissions and definitions vary by jurisdiction |
| Virtual kidnapping | A false claim of abduction used to demand money; apparent evidence can be fabricated |
| Wrench attack or physical coercion | Violence or threats used to force a person or relative to transfer funds or give access; not limited to a particular weapon |
A useful final habit: when an instruction is unclear, ask what action it authorises, who can change it, how you recover from failure and what happens to the people involved. Technical labels alone do not answer those questions.