Crypto security firm offers to recover ex-Ripple CTO’s bitcoin fortune

Unciphered says it can crack open IronKeys like Stefan Thomas’s, but the former Ripple exec isn’t on board yet.

article-image

99Art/Shutterstock, modified by Blockworks

share

Stefan Thomas, the former chief technology officer of Ripple, holds 7,002 bitcoins, currently valued at $244 million, in a hard drive he can no longer access because he misplaced the digital keys.

The programmer received these bitcoins in 2011 as payment for an educational video he created about bitcoin, only to lose the access code later that same year.

Crypto security specialists at Unciphered have now thrown Thomas a potential lifeline. 

The firm penned an open letter to him on Oct. 25, claiming they have the technical ability to outsmart Thomas’s “IronKey,” the encrypted USB device, and help him gain access to his bitcoin fortune.

Years ago, Thomas misplaced the paper containing his IronKey password, a device that permits only 10 attempts before permanently encrypting its contents. 

After fruitlessly trying eight of his go-to passwords, he’s down to his last two guesses. 

The drama gained attention in 2021, following a New York Times article detailing how the programmer had just two shots left to reclaim his crypto stash.

Unciphered has claimed it successfully recovered data from an IronKey similar to Thomas’s, also notably accomplishing this feat for digital culture publication Wired. 

They utilized a “secret cracking technique” over months, permitting them more than the standard 10 attempts, Wired reported.

Pooling their resources, the company’s founders reportedly assembled a team called Project Everest, comprising roughly 10 members, including staff and external advisors. 

Notably, several team members had previously sharpened their skills at the National Security Agency or similar high-profile government entities.

Unciphered is keeping its research methods and the specific technique used to bypass the IronKey’s guess limit under wraps, citing the potential risk associated with exposing such vulnerabilities. 

The firm says this secrecy is necessary since the outdated IronKey models they breached can’t be updated and might still hold sensitive data.

Thomas has so far declined Unciphered’s help, per Wired. 

Blockworks has reached out to the former Ripple chief technology officer for comment.

He is said to have already struck a deal with two other cracking teams — cybersecurity firm Naxo and independent researcher Chris Tarnovsky — promising them a reward for unlocking the drive. 

Yet, Naxo’s progress remains uncertain, and Tarnovsky is waiting for some payment from Thomas to continue.

Despite no success so far from the two parties, Thomas appears to be sticking to his original pact, giving the initial teams more leeway before seeking new aid.

“It’s possible that the current team could decide to subcontract Unciphered if they feel that’s the best option. We’ll have to wait and see,” Thomas told the outlet.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

  • Blockworks Daily: The newsletter that helps thousands of investors understand crypto and the markets, by Byron Gilliam.
  • Empire: Start your morning with the top news and analysis to inform your day in crypto.
  • Forward Guidance: Reporting and analysis on the growing intersection of crypto and macroeconomics, policy and finance.
  • 0xResearch: Alpha directly in your inbox. Market highlights, data, degen trade ideas, governance updates, token performance and more.
  • Lightspeed: Built for Solana investors, developers and community members. The latest from one of crypto’s hottest networks.
  • The Drop: For crypto collectors and traders, covering apps, games, memes and more.
  • Supply Shock: Tracking Bitcoin’s rise from internet plaything worth less than a penny to global phenomenon disrupting money as we know it.
Tags

Upcoming Events

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research Report Templates.jpg

Research

Bluefin possibly stands at an inflection point. The token is near an all-time low yet the protocol’s spot volume market share and derivatives exchange usage have been increasing month over month since its November launch. Given its current market position and the upcoming upgrades (for both Bluefin and SUI), there may be upside potential before the increased supply growth in December. However, strong opposition from existing competitors (like Cetus and Suilend), as well as new entrants (like Aftermath), pose key challenges to Bluefin’s medium-term success.

article-image

Top Committee Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her opening statement accused Atkins of “helping billionaire CEOs like Sam Bankman-Fried”

article-image

Introducing garbled circuits for enhanced privacy and regulatory compliance

article-image

Ross Ulbricht was a freedom maximalist building freedom tech, powered by Bitcoin

article-image

Solana validators can reap benefits including payments, votes and community clout

article-image

Sponsored

WalletConnect is cementing itself as the essential connectivity layer, ensuring wallets remain the entry point for billions of users

article-image

According to a legal filing, Galaxy Digital helped boost the price of LUNA while quietly selling its tokens