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CITADEL VAULT · CITADELVAULT.ORG
Customer and Reseller Briefing

Project Update
September 2026

Where the build stands, why we moved the date, and what ships in Batch 1 at the end of October.

Public edition v1.0 · 11 September 2026

Four Citadel Vault units running Vault OS on a table

Citadel Vault units running Vault OS

Today

What we will cover

01
Where we are
Completed and in progress
06
The new entropy system
How your Vault Master Passphrase is made
02
The project plan
September to Batch 1
07
The setup ceremony
Wireframes, screen by screen
03
Why the date moved
And what we did with the time
08
Vault expansion boards
Final production run
04
Independent security audit
Hardware, Vault OS, Guardian
09
The vault case
Custom foam, three layers
05
Foundational code rewrite
One owner for your keys
10
Challenges, then your questions
What is hard, and how we handle it
Citadel Vault · The Inheritance Computer

Distributed Security. 1000-Year Durability.

Vault Inheritance ComputerAir-gapped. Encrypts, splits and recovers your vault.
Vault DriveSecure-element drive that carries your encrypted vault.
Vault CardsPIN-locked keys. Any 2 of 3, or 3 of 5, open the vault.
Millennial DiscArchival disc rated to last 1,000 years.

Citadel Vault is the inheritance computer. It keeps everything your family needs to recover your Bitcoin, and releases it only on your terms.

What it protectsSeed phrase backups, wallet files, legal documents and letters to your heirs, all encrypted.
DistributedNo single place holds the keys. Vault Cards are kept in separate locations, so one loss or one theft is never enough.
DurableAn archival disc, an open archive format and printed QR backups, recoverable for generations.
On your termsA Bitcoin timelock decides when your heirs can begin recovery.
01 · Where We Are

A heavy summer on the engineering side

Completed

  • Independent penetration test and security audit across hardware, Vault OS and the Guardian application
  • Audit fixes landed for the timelock, key memory, backup media, factory reset and the USB air gap
  • Vault inheritance computers in stock at our Canada, Europe and United States hubs
  • Expansion boards for every tier: final production run complete, in stock
  • Archival disc drive supply secured, with spare inventory held
  • Air-gapped timelock verification hardened

In progress

  • Multi-source entropy, with your own dice rolls or keypress timing
  • A simpler login across Vault OS and Guardian
  • Change your Vault Master Passphrase without re-encrypting the vault
  • The Emergency Vault Restoration Kit
  • Final foam layout for the vault case
  • Secure firmware updates on removable media
  • Production and provisioning procedures
4,500+
Automated tests per build
3
Distribution hubs stocked
Today
Internal release
End Oct
Batch 1 deliveries
02 · The Project Plan

From today to Batch 1, week by week

Aug
8 Sep
15 Sep
22 Sep
29 Sep
6 Oct
13 Oct
20 Oct
27 Oct
Independent security audit and fixes
Foundational code rewrite
Hardened release pipeline
On-device verification on Vault OS
Internal release, Fri 11 Sep
Internal test window
Release signing key ceremony
Vault Card format finalized
Archival disc verification
Vault OS image freeze
Production build and signing
Assembly and provisioning
Batch 1 ships, 26 to 31 Oct
Done In progress Scheduled Milestone Bold rows are the critical path: each one gates the next.
03 · Why the Date Moved

A product with this job does not get to be early.
It gets to be right.

July 2026 · The Coldcard hack
1,816 BTC
about $116M taken from 5,200+ wallets
Designed
128 bits
Actual
~40 bits
Poor entropy: seeds came from weak software randomness
›
August 2026 · Bitcoin Red Team
~5,000
security findings across 390 projects in 30 hours
85rated critical
White-hat hackers, using AI, led by Rob Hamilton of AnchorWatch
›
August 2026 · Our decision
Audit
an independent security audit of every layer
HardwareVault OSGuardian
Deliveries moved to the end of October to do it properly
✓
Citadel Vault could never be hit this way.It does not generate wallet seed phrases. It backs up the ones your wallet made.
Your hardware wallet
creates the seedThe Coldcard flaw lived here
24-word seed phrase
encrypted backup
Citadel Vault
04 · Independent Security Audit

Every layer tested. The critical finding closed first.

Audited ⬢Hardware vault computer, board, Vault Cards, Vault Drive ◈Vault OS the hardened operating system ✱Guardian the vault application

Timelock Closed

Stricter proof checks on the Bitcoin block headers that enforce your waiting period.

ⓘ Details
Found

The timelock trusted the difficulty written inside a block header, so a forged header could claim the waiting period was over.

Fixed

Headers must now meet a real network difficulty floor and link back to built-in checkpoints with cumulative proof of work.

Key memory Closed

Keys locked in memory, never written to swap, wiped after use.

ⓘ Details
Found

If the system refused to lock a key in memory, the vault carried on anyway, and the recovery laptop path had no swap protection.

Fixed

A refused memory lock now stops the session, and the recovery path pins keys in memory and turns swap off.

Backup media Closed

Everything written to backup media is encrypted. Nothing is left in the clear.

ⓘ Details
Found

Legal documents and printed QR cards were copied onto backup media without encryption.

Fixed

Both are now sealed inside the encrypted bundle before anything is written to the disc or drive.

Factory reset Closed

A reset now erases everything it should, not just part of it.

ⓘ Details
Found

Reset deleted only some files, and simply deleted files can be recovered from flash storage.

Fixed

Reset now overwrites and then removes the full list of sensitive files, including keys and documents.

USB air gap Closed

No USB device can open a network path into the vault.

ⓘ Details
Found

A USB device that pretended to be a network adapter was allowed to stay connected.

Fixed

Every network interface except the internal loopback is shut down, USB ones included, and checked after.

Metadata Closed

Less information visible on the drive to anyone who finds it.

ⓘ Details
Found

The document index kept titles and heir names in the clear, and compressed secrets hinted at their size.

Fixed

The index now lives inside the encrypted vault index, and secret size no longer shows through compression.

Card wipe Closed

Wiping a Vault Card clears all of it, and proves it.

ⓘ Details
Found

Wiping a card cleared only the first block of its share, yet reported the card as erased.

Fixed

The wipe now clears the whole share area, then reads it back to confirm it is empty.

Boot chain Scheduled

Operating system hardening and verified boot, in the Vault OS pass.

ⓘ Details
Found

The operating system image has no boot time integrity check, so an offline change to it would go unnoticed.

Planned

Signed, verified boot and the full hardening profile, delivered in the Vault OS hardening pass.

"The cryptographic core is genuinely strong."

Audit summary. Remaining items, including card share verification, import size limits and verified boot, are scheduled into upcoming releases.

05 · Foundational Code Rewrite

Rebuilding the foundation

The audit found a strong core. We chose to go further: rebuild how keys live inside the vault, so that safe handling is enforced by the structure of the code rather than by care and convention.

Seven layers of protection

7
Recovery protocol
Open archive format, Bitcoin timelock, archival disc
6
Threshold recovery
Any K of N PIN-locked Vault Cards
5
Vault Master Passphrase Entropy
Five sources hashed into your 24 words
Rebuilt
4
Cryptography
Argon2id, HKDF-SHA256, AES-256-GCM
3
Guardian application
Rust, no network code, independently audited
Hardened
2
Vault OS
Minimal system with no network stack
Hardening
1
Air-gapped hardware
No network radios, no camera, signed model manifest

Six milestones

M1Encrypted vault indexComplete
M2Vault root keyComplete
M3Vault Card PIN recordComplete
M4Vault Cards at boot, with signed bootIn progress
M5Card clones, recovery QR and archival discIn progress
M6Moving existing vaults to the root keyScheduled
4,500+
Automated tests every build
1
Owner for the unlocked key
06 · The New Entropy System In development for Batch 1

Five sources in. Two 256-bit keys out.

ALWAYSDevice generatorKernel pool, hardware RNG counted once 256 bits 2 OF 3 CARDS · CERTIFIED TRNG IN EACH ALWAYSVault Card 1secure element 128 bits ALWAYSVault Card 2secure element 128 bits ALWAYSVault Card 3secure element 128 bits ALWAYS · YOUR CHOICEYour own randomness 100 dice rolls258.5 bitsminimum; 120 advised OR Keypress timingbeing ratedcredit under review Pick one at setup; one is always required HASH MIX SHA-256 pool≈898 bits in VMP 24 words you write down 256-bit key ROOT KEY never shown or typed 256-bit key
Alternative · Import VMP →
Prefer to trust only yourself?

You can import your own Vault Master Passphrase instead, if you know how to guarantee proper entropy.

  • Hashed, never XORed. One weak source cannot cancel out a strong one.
  • Conservatively credited. With dice, around 898 bits of assessed randomness go in, far above the 320 bits a full-strength 256-bit key requires.
  • Your input adds, never replaces. The device and Vault Card randomness is always in the mix.
  • Committed before you add yours. The vault records a verification code first, so neither side can steer the result.
  • Checked. Statistical tests on dice rolls catch a stuck or loaded die.
  • A missing source stops setup. It is never quietly replaced by a fixed value. That exact shortcut is what went wrong in July.
07 · The Setup Ceremony

About twenty minutes, in one sitting

The vault walks you through every step. It checks your work as you go and never lets you leave in a half-finished state.

Prepare
·TermsAccept the terms before anything is created
0Before you startWhat to have on the table
1Plug everything inPower and Vault Drive, detected live
2Choose your recovery rule2 of 3; Vault Pro and Pro+ may pick 3 of 5
Create
3Cards add randomnessEach main Vault Card contributes
4Device commitmentVerification code saved before you roll
5Your randomness100 dice rolls, or keypress timing
6Roll checksStatistical tests on your rolls
7Your 24 wordsWarning first, then a 30 second write-down wait
Prove and distribute
8Check your written wordsAll 24, typed from paper, never revealed
9Write your Vault CardsNumber them first; no Back button
10Prove your cardsTwo tests, so every card is proved
11CongratulationsCards verified, vault created
Vault DriveOne dieA penTwo sheets of paper3 main Vault Cards
07 · Ceremony Wireframes · Prepare

What you will see on the vault

VAULT SETUP: BEFORE YOU START

This Vault is your family's Inheritance computer. This one-time setup creates your Vault Master Passphrase and your Vault Cards.

About 20 minutes, in one sitting. Three steps:

 1  Add randomness: cards and dice
 2  Write 24 words on paper
 3  Prove the words, then the cards

HAVE THESE ON THE TABLE

Your Vault Drive and 3 main Vault Cards
1 die, a pen, 2 sheets of paper

[ Not yet ][ I'm ready ]

Screen 0. Everything the sitting needs, listed before it starts. Backup cards stay in the box.

PLUG EVERYTHING IN1 of 11

RIGHT SIDE

Power       USB-C, from the wall charger
Vault Drive USB-A
Card reader USB-C

Poweron mains
Vault Driveconnected
Card readerconnected
Battery62%
[ Continue ]

Screen 1. Every connection is detected live, so the screen answers itself.

CHOOSE YOUR RECOVERY RULE2 of 11

> 2 OF 3 MAIN CARDS

Any 2 cards open the vault. You can lose 1 and still get in. Fewer cards to manage.

  3 OF 5 MAIN CARDS

Any 3 cards open the vault. You can lose 2 and still get in.

[ Back ][ Continue ]

Screen 2. Vault Core uses 2 of 3 and skips this screen. Vault Pro and Pro+ may choose 3 of 5.

07 · Ceremony Wireframes · Randomness

Your cards, then the vault, then your dice

ADD RANDOMNESS FROM YOUR CARDS3 of 11

Place each main Vault Card in the reader when asked. Nothing is written to the cards yet.

Device randomnessadded
Vault Card 1added
Vault Card 2added
Vault Card 3place in reader now

Each card's certified chip adds its own randomness. No source ever sees another source's output.

[ Continue ] not yet

Screen 3. The secure element in every main card contributes randomness before anything else happens.

VERIFICATION CODE4 of 11

The vault has locked in its own randomness, and your cards', before you add yours.

VERIFICATION CODE

7F3A 91C2 0B4E D86A

Saved to the setup log automatically. Copy it only if you want to audit later.

Now the vault cannot change its mind after seeing your dice.

[ Back ][ Continue ]

Screen 4. The commitment is what stops a tampered device steering the result.

ADD RANDOMNESS WITH YOUR DICE5 of 11

Roll the die and type the number you see.

Rolls entered37 of 100

Enter each roll exactly once, in order. If you mistype, use Backspace. Do not roll again.

Last roll: 4

[ Verify ][ Continue ] not yet

Screen 5. 100 rolls minimum. Keypress timing is the alternative. Roll checks run next, automatically.

07 · Ceremony Wireframes · Your Passphrase

Write it down, then prove you did

BEFORE WE SHOW YOUR VMP7 of 11

These are NOT a Bitcoin seedphrase.

Never type them into a website, wallet, phone, or other computer. Do not photograph them. Enter them only on this Citadel Vault, and only when it asks.

They will not be shown again after setup.

[ Back ][ Show VMP ]

Screen 7. The warning comes first, every time.

YOUR VAULT MASTER PASSPHRASE7 of 11
1 ▮▮▮▮▮▮ 7 ▮▮▮▮▮▮13 ▮▮▮▮▮▮19 ▮▮▮▮▮▮ 2 ▮▮▮▮▮▮ 8 ▮▮▮▮▮▮14 ▮▮▮▮▮▮20 ▮▮▮▮▮▮ 3 ▮▮▮▮▮▮ 9 ▮▮▮▮▮▮15 ▮▮▮▮▮▮21 ▮▮▮▮▮▮ 4 ▮▮▮▮▮▮10 ▮▮▮▮▮▮16 ▮▮▮▮▮▮22 ▮▮▮▮▮▮ 5 ▮▮▮▮▮▮11 ▮▮▮▮▮▮17 ▮▮▮▮▮▮23 ▮▮▮▮▮▮ 6 ▮▮▮▮▮▮12 ▮▮▮▮▮▮18 ▮▮▮▮▮▮24 ▮▮▮▮▮▮

Write all 24 words on the paper in front of you, in this order. Metal comes later.

You can continue in 0:23

[ Back ][ Continue ] not yet

Screen 7, continued. Your 24 words appear here. Continue unlocks after 30 seconds.

CHECK YOUR WRITTEN WORDS8 of 11

Type each word from your paper, not from memory.

BIP39 word list · page 1 of 4, words 1 to 6

1 ✓2 ✓3 ✓456

Word 4: abst▌

aboveabsentabsorbabstract  ← Tab or Enterabsurdabuseaccess
[ Back ]

Screen 8. The BIP39 word list scrolls to your letters and highlights the match. Accepted words hide again; all 24 are checked.

07 · Ceremony Wireframes · Vault Cards

Every card written, every card proved

WRITE YOUR VAULT CARDS9 of 11

Number your cards 1 to 3 with the supplied pen before the first card.

Card 1written ✓
Card 2written ✓
Card 3place in reader now

Keep the Vault on mains power until all 3 are written. There is no Back button on this screen.

2 of 3 written

Screen 9. Each main card receives its share of the vault key.

CHECKING YOUR CARDS10 of 11

Test 1 passed: cards 1 and 2

Now place card 1, then card 3.

1 read2 ✓3 waiting

Two tests, so that every card is proved to open the vault, not just two of them.

test 2

Screen 10. Every card is proved before setup is allowed to finish.

CONGRATULATIONS11 of 11

Vault Card verification PASSED

Creating your vault…

Any 2 of your 3 main Vault Cards open this vault. Never keep 2 or more in one place.

Check your metal copy against the paper before you destroy the paper.

[ Finish ] not yet

Screen 11. The vault is created only after every card has passed.

08 · Vault Expansion Boards Final production run complete

Built for the vault, in stock for every tier

Citadel Vault Pro expansion board render

Vault Pro expansion

Rev A
  • USB-C power in, plus USB-A and USB-C ports
  • A powered port that drives the archival disc drive at full current
  • For Vault Pro, Pro+, Advisor and the Founders Edition
Citadel Vault Core expansion board render

Vault Core expansion

Rev A
  • One USB-A and one USB-C port, nothing more
  • Unused connectors are left as bare pads, not fitted
  • Every board carries a laser-etched serial, e.g. CVX-PA-2628-747689
09 · The Vault Case Final layout in review

A rugged case, cut to fit everything

Three layers of custom foam, 142 mm of stack inside a 163 mm deep hard case. Every part has its own pocket, and finger pulls lift each layer out.

BOTTOM LAYER85 mm deep Citadel Vaultthe vault computer QR scanner Card reader Memory reader Cable casecharger and 2 cables Archival disc drivefits all 3 variants TOP LAYER45 mm deep Accessories Archival discsholder for 4 Vault standfolded Memory ×3 Drives ×3 10 Vault Cards LID12 mm retainer Quick Startand warranty card Printed manual EncryptedQR codes Vault Pro layout shown. Case interior 390 × 295 × 163 mm; the three layers stack to 142 mm, leaving 21 mm to spare.
10 · Challenges

What is hard right now, and how we are handling it

Release integrity

Every shipping build is made on a hardened, controlled host and signed. Standing that pipeline up is the first link on our critical path this month.

The signing key ceremony

The key that signs Vault OS is created offline, split and backed up in a formal ceremony, scheduled for the week of 14 September.

Proof on the device

Passing tests on development machines is not enough. Every release is proved again on Vault OS itself before it ships.

Vault Card format

We are finalizing the data format written to each Vault Card, 15 to 29 September, so the ceremony writes cards once and for good.

Component supply

Some parts come from a single source. We hold stock at three hubs and keep spares of the parts that are hardest to replace.

What we will not do

Ship before it is right. If a date has to move again, you will hear it from us with the reason, as you did in August.

Questions and Answers

The questions we expect, then yours

Is end of October still the date?
Yes. Batch 1 deliveries are scheduled for the end of October 2026. Updates are posted at citadelvault.org/updates.
Does my warranty clock start now?
No. Warranty and support terms run from the date your unit is delivered.
Could the July wallet issue happen to Citadel Vault?
No. Citadel Vault is not a Bitcoin wallet and never creates a seed; it backs up the seedphrases your wallets made. Its own passphrase comes from at least five sources hashed together, with your own input required.
Was the audit independent?
Yes. It covered the hardware, Vault OS and the Guardian application. The critical finding is fixed, along with the areas shown in this briefing; the rest are scheduled into upcoming releases.

citadelvault.org/updates

Air-gappedIndependently auditedYour randomness in every keyBatch 1 · end of October