Crypto Academy Season 3 Beginners course : Task 6 by @jamezmccoy :Blockchain Wallet types and uses

Homework Task-6
(1) How do you store/secure your keys? What are the different forms of Private Key(Examples/Screenshot)? Download & Install TronLink Wallet(Android/iOS/Extension)? How do you store the key(Hint- write it down on a notepad, demonstrate it with examples)? Which form of the key are you comfortable with to handle your TronLink Wallet? Include Screenshots & hide/blur the sensitive information.

Hello fellow steemians this is my Homework task 6 for beginners
Crypto wallet keys first of all are unique cryptographic keys that are ussually issued to an individual during creation of a crypto wallet.

How do you store/secure your keys?

They are a lot of ways and methods one can store his key but as the professor recommended offline is the most secure and considered safe cause it is completely hack proof. Offline storage of your keys ussually involves copying your keys to a note book and well preserved (maybe laminated or framed) maybe in a vault or in a good storage preferably not all in one place for security reasons.Since we are focusing on Tronlink wallet they only have the mnemonic keys available when creating your wallet which is ussually a 12-24 word key other keys are available for back up after your wallet has been successfully created ,mnemonics keys are meant to be be used in a specific order.

Although this method as secure as the first, Online storage of keys most individuals have a cloud space like dropbox, Google drive e.t.c where they store sensitive information which is good but it is not highly recommended because once a hacker gets access to your cloud space your crypto assets are as good as gone because with private keys transactions can be done on wallets. For instance
One can commit the keys (mnemonic) to memory as so far this is the safest method I can think off, This way you and you alone can have access permanently to your assets. This method is rarely adopted cause its stressful takes time and concentration but I believe this is the absolutely safest way to save your keys
Better yet it's also safe to practice combination of this different methods to secure and store your keys. Write down some part or store it online and commit a portion of the keys to your memory that is written bo where else this way even if you get hacked or have your copy stolen one can not have access to the complete keys in one place

What are the different forms of Private Key(Examples/Screenshot)?

Private keys come in 3 different forms I.e
MNEMONIC
PRIVATE KEYS
KEY STORE FILE
Mnemonic
This form of private keys ussually is made up of letters random words humans can read and understand and it is the most used ussually when registering for tron link wallet it's the first key one after inserting your chosen password of course one is asked to backup and insert in a certain order in other to create a wallet ...Mnemonic keys ussually looks like this. This form of private key can be used to recover/restor wallets and reset chosen password and generate an address

Private keys
This form of key ussually involves alphanumeric numbers and letters mixed together in a particular order in Caps and small letters and it also performs the same function as the Mnemonic keys this type of keys is adopted by steemit and a lot of other wallets use this form if key for access.in the case of tronlink it has qr code you can scan to for your private key It looks something like this

Keystore file
This is the most unpopular form of private key there is cause it's not a stand alone key like the others and it looks very mixed up its practically very difficult to copy it with pen and paper so most time its stored online. Unlike other forms of private keys like mnemonic and private key you cant use keystore file to recover or restore your wallet back..it ussually has to go with the password one sets I.e with the combination of keystore file and your Password you can be able to recover/restore your wallet..it looks something like this

Download & Install TronLink Wallet(Android/iOS/Extension)?

Step 1 on Android OS
Go on play store and type

Step 2
After installation is completed. and run the app you will be presented with 3 options create account(for new users) import account (for already registered users with keys) and cold wallet(which is completely offline and very secure)

Step 3 for new users
You will be required to set an account name and password

And congratulations your tronlink wallet is all set
Final step would be to backup your private keys and you are totally set

How do you store the key(Hint- write it down on a notepad, demonstrate it with examples)?

Personally I adopted the mixed method where I store offline on a note book 10 out of 12 of my mnemonic pass phrases and commited the last 2 out of 12 to memory this way its practically impossible for someone to hack or steal my assets. something like this

If you look closely tronlink wallet consist of 12 phrase in the mnemonic keys but my image only has 10 mnemonic phrases, 2 phrases I have commited to memory

Which form of the key are you comfortable with to handle your TronLink Wallet?

If I had to pick a private key that would be most efficient and I would be comfortable with it would be mnemonic... it's the least tedious among all the three keys and can easily be commited to memory but keystore file and private key I think its impossible to hoard all that random letters and numbers to memory. Mnemonic keys is easy to remember and if committed to memory properly I believe is the safest key to use

Conclusion
Not everyone is familiar with how keys are supposed to be used but if we liken the context with our usual daily banks and said public jeys are our individual unique bank account number and private key is our unique id i.e O.T.P or thumbprint or password or identity i think most people would understand with your private key transactions can be made to happen on your wallet with or without your consent so its important you learn how to secure your keys, I would highly recommend practicing the mixed method as it ensures your of total safety of your assets. Thank you very much @sapwood for this exploratory lecture on wallet and keys i learnt a lot while researching for this task
All images with no source link are mine