Ledger and Samsung on Security Where Web2 and Web3 Hardware Meet 

By Linda Orenes-Lerma

The internet is evolving; as are the tools we use to interact with it. You may be familiar with web2 hardware- in fact, you’re likely using a smartphone or laptop to read this right now – but not many people question what it’s for. 

To explain, Web2 is all about sharing information. Your web2 hardware, such as your smartphone, connects to the internet. This gives you access to your favorite apps and websites, which exist purely to send and receive – or share – information. 

But what do you know about web3 hardware? Your web3 hardware is the key to a different network, giving you access to cryptocurrency, decentralized apps, and much more. Most importantly, it can protect you from exposing critical data via the internet. 

With the new opportunities the digital age brings, it also poses new risks. With that in mind, it’s important to understand how web2 and web3 hardware must work together. As a result, Samsung and Ledger have partnered to help pave the way.

What is Web2? A Recap

Web2 is the internet of information. It provided the underlying infrastructure for anyone to become a publisher of information: Youtube, Instagram, and Facebook are all great examples of how a simple internet connection and a well-designed interface can generate an entire economy based on creating and consuming content. 

You might not own the content you publish there – but that hasn’t stopped those platforms from exploding in popularity, becoming some of the most powerful companies in the world and coming to define a whole generation.

Web2 Hardware: How the Smartphone Evolved To Work with the Internet

As one of the champions of web2 hardware, the smartphone evolved along with the digital sphere. As web2 progressed from simple websites to so much more, smartphones incorporated web2 functionality to support the tech’s advancement.

For example, smartphones gave us access to a camera and a notepad, then the internet allowed us to share those photos and messages. Together they helped us build meaningful connections in the digital realm. Connections aside, their synergy also gave regular people the knowledge of a thousand libraries at their fingertips. 

All of the interconnectivity brought many opportunities for almost every industry. And it’s a perfect relationship between web2 and the smartphone that made that possible.

Today, smartphones and other web2 capable devices are no longer a luxury, but an essential tool for millions around the world. From humble recipe apps to mighty social media apps; sharing information is now just a part of our daily lives.

Why Web3 is Different

Let’s go back to the start for a second. As you’ll remember, Web3’s defining feature is that it can own and manage value, not just data.

In the same way you currently send an email directly to a friend, Web3 lets you send and receive anything with digital value including; coins, tokens and even digital artworks via NFTs. This value transfer is possible at the click of a button.

The reason these digital assets are so valuable is the concept of ownership & provenance. Since they live on a decentralized digital ledger, they are almost immutable – hardly anyone can tamper with them. Not only that, access to this ledger is permissionless: almost anyone can use it no matter their social status or location.

The use cases for blockchain technology seem to be endless. Decentralized finance platforms and apps allow money management without banks. Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) offer ways to govern groups without leaders. But it’s also impacting creators too. The metaverse allows us to build and personalize virtual worlds, and then NFTs allow us to tokenize art and receive royalties. These are just a few examples of the sheer variety of use cases for this technology.

Crypto Wallets: Where Private Keys Are Stored

However, to take part in the web3 ecosystem, you’ll need a crypto wallet. To explain, a crypto wallet allows you to generate multiple blockchain accounts. Each one of these accounts has a corresponding public and private key. 

Public keys are like your email address for the blockchain – you can share them with anyone you wish to receive value from. 

Your private key, however, is more like the key to your home. Anyone with access to that private key can access your address and everything stored there. It represents your on-chain identity: proving to the blockchain that you are who you say you are. This means keeping it secure is absolutely imperative to protect your valuable blockchain assets, such as crypto and NFTs.In short, your private key is one of the most important pieces of data to protect. 

Primarily, Crypto wallets come in two main types: Software or Hardware. At first glance, a software crypto wallet might seem the better option. You can start using crypto from the smartphone you already have and all of your important information is centralized on one device. But unfortunately, web2 hardware is not designed to protect web3 value. 

So let’s find out why.

The main difference between software and hardware wallets is where they keep your private keys.

Software-based wallets are essentially programs you install on a web2 device, such as a smartphone. These wallets store your keys on the host device, leaving them vulnerable to attack. On the other hand, a hardware wallet is a physical device purpose-built for securing your private key. It never connects to the internet – which helps to keep your keys safe.

Connected Devices Can Always be Hacked

If you’re like most people, you probably think that your smartphone is safe from hackers. 

But it’s not – a very sophisticated mobile device can be hacked invisibly, via your internet connection. This leaves your passwords, financial information, and other sensitive data at risk – and also means any private keys you’ve stored in a software wallet could be accessed remotely. 

So how do you protect your keys, and therefore your precious crypto assets?

One way to keep your keys safe is by securing them in an environment that is completely offline at all times – something fundamentally at odds with the design of your phone.

In order to fully take advantage of the freedom that Web3 offers, we need to use hardware that is specifically designed for Web3 security. That’s where Web3-specific hardware like Ledger comes in. 

A hardware wallet is a physical device that exists in complete isolation from your internet connection. Private keys generated here are protected from remote hacks.

Ledger devices are among the world’s leading hardware wallets, with each designed to secure your digital assets. Each device generates and secures your private keys offline, and also acts as an isolated venue where you’ll be able to digitally sign transactions in safety. 

How to Use a Crypto Hardware Wallet with your Smartphone

If web3 devices stay offline, then how do we interact with the wonderful world of web3? 

This is where your web3 device relies on its web2 counterpart to establish the connection. To explain, every Ledger hardware device pairs with Ledger Live – a bespoke interface that connects to your web2 hardware such as your phone. This means you can use Ledger Live on your smartphone to; interact with a number of dApps, send coins and tokens, and even visualize your unique NFT collection – as long as you can validate the action with your ledger device.

This symbiotic relationship gives users the best of both worlds: A smartphone is built for connectivity, and a Ledger Device protects you while connected. These two devices work together, offering the other the functionality it lacks.

Samsung and Ledger: Always-On Connectivity meets Web3 Security

Understanding the importance of both web2 and web3 hardware, Ledger and Samsung have partnered to demonstrate how both generations of devices can grow together. The partnership of these two modern hardware companies puts a focus on providing security, ease of crypto asset management, and education to new web3 users. To ease the transition, they present the Web3 Starter Bundle – a perfect package to help anyone embrace web3 technology. 

As your web2 and web3 hardware must work together, this Web3 Starter Bundle includes a new Samsung S23 series smartphone and a Ledger Nano X hardware wallet. 

The Samsung S23 series smartphone offers you a seamless way to create and connect. For instance, its 200MP camera easily portrays depth and dimension at night. Plus, you can even use it to record high-quality time lapses with ease.

Using the Ledger Live App, these two pieces of hardware can connect via Bluetooth, or via a cable. From there, you have the web3 ecosystem at your fingertips. With these devices, you could start your own NFT collection or participate in a DAO.

In the spirit of showcasing what this technology offers, the web3 starter bundle also includes some NFTs by internationally renowned digital artists, such as Jaiden Stipp, Plastic Pen, Specter, and Thomas Fleck. Plus, those with a web3 starter bundle will also get the chance to mint artwork (for free) from acclaimed artists such as; NFT-OG” Antoni Tudisco, Charlotte Taylor, Anthony Authié, and prodigy of NFT photography 18-year-old Bruno Urli.

Knowledge is power