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**TL;DR:** Unforgettable Recovery uses account abstraction and visual keys to manage EVM wallets, so you never have to store or remember seed phrases.
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**TL;DR:** Unforgettable uses account abstraction and visual keys to manage EVM wallets, so you never have to store or remember seed phrases.
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## Why Unforgettable Recovery?
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## Why Unforgettable?
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-**No seed phrases:** Users authenticate leveraging visual memory (their face, a favorite object, etc.) instead of managing 12–24‑word phrases.
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-**Self-custodial and private:** The cryptographic secret is re-derived on the client device; only a public key and additional helping data are stored in the blockchain or on the app server. Raw biometrics or key material never leave the device.
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-**Multi‑factor auth:** Combine visuals (e.g., face + object) and add a short password or proof‑of‑work (PoW) step to reach the full 112‑bit security target.
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-**Multi‑factor auth:** Combine visuals (e.g., face + object), location and add a short password or proof‑of‑work (PoW) step to reach the full 112‑bit security target.
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-**Smooth onboarding:** First‑time users set up in seconds. Ideal for dApps that target mainstream audiences.
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-**Phishing‑resistant:** There is nothing to type or copy, eliminating most social‑engineering vectors.
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## Tech overview
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Unforgettable Recovery relies on a novel cryptographic primitive called **fuzzy extractors**, which convert “noisy” biometric/visual data into a stable, private key that can be reproduced from a close‑enough reading of the same object. Security is layered by combining factors (e.g., face + object) and strengthened further with a password or a proof-of-work challenge.
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Unforgettable relies on a novel cryptographic primitive called *fuzzy extractors*, which convert “noisy” biometric/visual data into a stable, private key that can be reproduced from a close‑enough reading of the same object. Security is layered by combining factors (e.g., face + object) and strengthened further with a password or a proof-of-work challenge.
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### Security assumptions
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@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ To achieve a 112‑bit security baseline, Unforgettable fuses ≈46 bits of en
|**What it is**| Key is split into shares; multiple parties/devices must co-sign each transaction | Funds in a smart-contract wallet; multiple parties/devices must co-sign each transaction | Funds in a smart-contract wallet; authorization uses passkeys/WebAuthn-derived signing keys | Funds in a smart-contract wallet; signing key is derived on demand from biometrics/visual keys/location via fuzzy extractor (JIT keys) |
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|**Self-custody / regulatory risk**|**Medium–High** (signers can be seen as custodians) |**Medium–High** (signers can be seen as custodians) |**Low–Medium** (platform doesn’t control the key, but “soft custody” concerns may exist depending on the passkey provider model) |**Low** (user is the end key owner; platform never holds end keys/shares, only helper + policy metadata) |
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|**Key storage & risk**|**Medium–High**: shares stored on MPC provider infra (often in TEE). Risks: collusion, DoS |**Medium–High**: shares stored on MPC provider infra (often in TEE). Risks: collusion, DoS |**Low–Medium**: key stored on device; optionally synced. Risks: device loss/theft; ecosystem DoS/collusion if synced |**Low–Medium**: no end-key storage (JIT). Risks: spoofing attempts; platform availability/DoS |
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|**Recovery**| Depends on MPC providers | Depends on MPC providers | Device control (for local keys); if cloud-synced, relies on provider liveness | Relies on deterministic re-derivation; optional on-chain guardians/timelocks as safety nets |
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|**Cost assumptions**| Platform fee + per-signing/per-wallet costs; expensive at consumer scale | Platform fee + per-signing/per-wallet costs; expensive at consumer scale | Smart-account gas + bundler/paymaster ops; generally cheaper than MPC | Smart-account gas + bundler/paymaster ops + small helper-data storage; generally cheaper than MPC |
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|**Interoperability**|**High**: most dApps work out of the box |**Medium**: needs bundler/paymaster; usually per-chain deployments/modules |**Medium**: needs bundler/paymaster; usually per-chain deployments/modules |**High**: can produce standard keys/signatures and/or use smart-account policies; easier multi-chain (smart-account deployments still need bundler/paymaster infra) |
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|**Portability**|**Medium**: broad device/OS support, but hard to migrate |**Medium**: broad device/OS support, but hard to migrate |**Low–Medium**: often hard/impossible to switch passkey provider or attach passkeys to a different account |**Medium–High**: re-derive on any device; optional advanced export; avoids cloud lock-in |
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|**Sanctions / screening / abuse controls**|**High**: centralized controls (screening/limits), can increase custody-like perception |**High**: centralized controls (screening/limits), can increase custody-like perception |**Medium**: on-chain allowlists possible; depends on whether users can transact outside the app |**Medium–High**: screen at initiation; smart-account rules can enforce on-chain limits/allowlists while remaining non-custodial |
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\* For smart-account approaches, availability/DoS risk can be reduced with extended on-chain emergency recovery functions (e.g., locktimes, guardians/social recovery).
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Key takeaways:
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-**MPC-based approaches** can feel seamless, but introduce higher custody/regulatory risk (signers can be viewed as custodians) and higher costs at consumer scale.
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-**Passkey-based smart accounts** reduce custody risk, but often trade off portability (provider/device lock-in) and can inherit ecosystem availability/DoS risks.
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-**Unforgettable** avoids storing end keys (keys are derived on demand) and aims for low custody risk, with optional on-chain safety nets (e.g., guardians/timelocks) where needed.
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## Conclusion
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Unforgettable Recovery offers an alternative to seed phrases with visual keys derived via fuzzy extractors, combining factors (face + object) with a short password and a PoW challenge to reach a ≥ 112-bit security baseline without exposing biometric data. Built on account abstraction, it enables fast onboarding and straightforward recovery of EVM smart-contract wallets while remaining self-custodial, private and phishing-resistant.
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Unforgettable offers an alternative to seed phrases with visual keys derived via fuzzy extractors, combining factors (face + object) with a short password and a PoW challenge to reach a ≥ 112-bit security baseline without exposing biometric data. Built on account abstraction, it enables fast onboarding and straightforward recovery of EVM smart-contract wallets while remaining self-custodial, private and phishing-resistant.
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