Seed participant configuration with DFINITY Canister SDK

Introduction

Steps to configure a neuron using the DFINITY Canistr SDK.

Warning

This process is not currently possible on macOS computers with M1 chips. You can only install the DFINITY Canister SDK dfx and the Candid compiler didc on Intel-based macOS and Linux computers.

Step 1: Derive a native Internet Computer principal from your Ethereum seed

As an early contributor or seed donor, Seed participants wrote down a 12-word mnemonic seed phrase that was generated by the DFINITY Chrome extension. To create an identity, seed participants must derive a private key from their seed phrase and import that private key into the DFINITY Canister SDK. This step is required before seed participants can take control of their neurons.

Step 1a: Secure your environment

The safety and security of the seed participant's private key is their responsibility and there is no substitute for planning ahead, bringing the right equipment, having the right skills, and using good judgment. It is strongly recommended they proceed using an air-gapped computer to reduce the risk of having their private key compromised. Depending on the hardware available, they might want to physically remove the network controller, microphone, speakers, and other components, or disable them in their BIOS. Covert channels can be established through a variety of different mediums, including sound, light, radio-frequency, and physical media. Be sure to evaluate the capabilities of your system before settling on a configuration that makes sense for you. If one is unsure, one should consult with a computer security expert. Do not contact the DFINITY Foundation for help with securing your environment.

Step 1b: Install Keysmith

You need Keysmith to derive your private/public key pair from the seed phrase.

To install Keysmith, there are two options:

a. Fetch the release binary

b. Build Keysmith from source.

Option A: Fetch the release binary

If you want to download the Keysmith release binary, keep in mind that you must perform this action on a computer with a network connection. If you are using an air-gapped computer, then you must copy the release binary from your networked computer to your air-gapped computer. How you do this will depend on your configuration.

To download the Keysmith release binary, fetch release v1.5.0 from Github.

Keysmith supports the following operating systems and architectures:

• Darwin / AMD64 – for macOS models with an Intel chip (how to check)

• Darwin / ARM64 – for newer macOS models with an M1 chip (how to check)

• Linux / AMD64

• Linux / ARM32

• Linux / ARM64

• Windows / AMD64

Download the .tar.gz file matching your architecture and operating system. If you have a newer M1-based macOS, download keysmith-darwin-arm64.tar.gz. Although you can install keysmith on macOS computers with an M1 chip, you can only install the DFINITY Canister SDK dfx command-line interface on Intel-based macOS computers. For an Intel-based macOS, download {{code|keysmith-darwin-amd64.tar.gz}.