FAQs related to the COLDCARD incident, July 2026

ledger-incident-faq

https://support.ledger.com/article/FAQs-Related-to-the-Coldcard-Incident-July-2026

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Ledger

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Vendor response

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2026-08-07

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   This article provides frequently asked questions and answers related to the July 2026 Coldcard incident and explains how Ledger signers generate secure seeds.
   FAQs
   Is Ledger affected by the recently published Coldcard Mk3 advisory?
   Ledger is not affected by the recently published Coldcard Mk3 advisory. Ledger devices use a True Random Number Generator (TRNG) built directly into our Secure Element chip, generating full 256 bits of entropy for every 24-word Secret Recovery Phrase. Please refer to this article for more information.
   Coinkite has published a security advisory regarding certain Coldcard Mk3 firmware versions - you can read their notice here.
   How do Ledger signers generate random seeds?
   The same TRNG principles apply to all Ledger signers, using a true hardware random number generator inside a certified Secure Element, with no software fallback. The generator is compliant with AIS-31/PTG.2, which evaluates the physical entropy source itself rather than just testing whether its output looks random, the distinction that matters, because weak randomness passes output tests. The Secure Element is certified at Common Criteria EAL5+ for Ledger Nano S™ and Ledger Nano X™ and EAL6+ for Ledger Nano S Plus™, Ledger Stax™, Ledger Flex™ and Ledger Nano™ Gen5 and various devices by ANSSI's first-level scheme measuring resistance to cyber attack with random number generation quality explicitly in scope. Producing a predictable random number is listed as Threat #1 in our published security targets, and has been for years.
   Ledger signer firmware and operating system are reviewed regularly by our internal security team, the Donjon, and undergo recurring evaluation by independent laboratories including EDSI and Synacktiv. This is not a one-time audit. It is an ongoing process, built into how the platform is maintained.
   Do all Ledger signers follow the same TRNG process?
   All Ledger signers follow the same TRNG principles, using a true hardware random number generator inside a certified Secure Element, with no software fallback. The generator is compliant with AIS-31/PTG.2, which evaluates the physical entropy source itself rather than just testing whether its output looks random, the distinction that matters, because weak randomness passes output tests. The Secure Element is certified at Common Criteria EAL5+ for Ledger Nano S™ and Ledger Nano X™ and EAL6+ for Ledger Nano S Plus™, Ledger Stax™, Ledger Flex™ and Ledger Nano™ Gen5 and various devices by ANSSI's first-level scheme measuring resistance to cyber attack with random number generation quality explicitly in scope. Producing a predictable random number is listed as Threat #1 in our published security targets, and has been for years.
   Ledger firmware and operating system are reviewed regularly by our internal security team, the Donjon, and undergo recurring evaluation by independent laboratories including EDSI and Synacktiv. This is not a one-time audit. It is an ongoing process, built into how the platform is maintained.
   How are Ledger firmware and operating system audited?
   Ledger firmware and operating system are reviewed regularly by our internal security team, the Donjon, and undergo recurring evaluation by independent laboratories including EDSI and Synacktiv. This is not a one-time audit. It is an ongoing process, built into how the platform is maintained.
   What ongoing measures does Ledger take to maintain the security of their signers and seed generation?
   All Ledger signers follow the same TRNG principles, using a true hardware random number generator inside a certified Secure Element, with no software fallback. The generator is compliant with AIS-31/PTG.2, which evaluates the physical entropy source itself rather than just testing whether its output looks random, the distinction that matters, because weak randomness passes output tests. The Secure Element is certified at Common Criteria EAL5+ for Ledger Nano S™ and Ledger Nano X™ and EAL6+ for Ledger Nano S Plus™, Ledger Stax™, Ledger Flex™ and Ledger Nano™ Gen5 and various devices by ANSSI's first-level scheme measuring resistance to cyber attack with random number generation quality explicitly in scope. Producing a predictable random number is listed as Threat #1 in our published security targets, and has been for years.
   Ledger firmware and operating system are reviewed regularly by our internal security team, the Donjon, and undergo recurring evaluation by independent laboratories including EDSI and Synacktiv. This is not a one-time audit. It is an ongoing process, built into how the platform is maintained.
   The Ledger Donjon makes heavy use of LLMs to hunt for vulnerabilities in our own products, and it is genuinely effective (see this blog post). The adversary is already doing this at machine speed. So do we, before they do.
   None of this makes us immune. It makes us measurable, monitored, and independently tested, the same standard that might have caught the failure mode Coldcard experienced. We'd rather be verifiable than merely trusted.
   Does the Ledger Nano S™ use the same TRNG architecture as newer Ledger signers?
   All Ledger signers follow the same TRNG principles, using a true hardware random number generator inside a certified Secure Element, with no software fallback. The generator is compliant with AIS-31/PTG.2, which evaluates the physical entropy source itself rather than just testing whether its output looks random, the distinction that matters, because weak randomness passes output tests. The Secure Element in the Ledger Nano S™ was certified at Common Criteria EAL5+ and the Ledger Nano S™ itself was awarded a certificate from ANSSI's first-level scheme in 2019, the first hardware wallet to receive it, measuring resistance to cyber attack with random number generation quality explicitly in scope. Producing a predictable random number is listed as Threat #1 in our published security targets, and has been for years.
   Ledger firmware and operating system are reviewed regularly by our internal security team, the Donjon, and undergo recurring evaluation by independent laboratories including EDSI and Synacktiv. This is not a one-time audit. It is an ongoing process, built into how the platform is maintained.