Bitcoin: Address and message verification using public key, address and signature!

Verifying Bitcoin Address and Signature: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Verifying the address and signature of a Bitcoin transaction is crucial to ensuring that the ownership of a Bitcoin address has been confirmed. In this article, we will explore how to verify an address using the public key, signature, and address type (P2PKH, P2SH, P2WPKH, P2WSH, P2TR).

Public Key

The public key is used to sign transactions and verifies the sender’s identity. It consists of a hash of a user’s private key.

To obtain the public key:

• Find your Bitcoin wallet and go to the “Wallet” or “Settings” menu.

• Select “Generate New Wallet” or “Get Your Public Key”

• The public key will be displayed, which should start with m/0'/0'.

Signature

The signature is used to verify the sender's identity and ensure that the transaction was not forged.

To obtain the signature:

• Go to the "Wallet" or "Settings" menu.

• Select "Generate New Signature"

• Select the signature type (e.g., ECDSA or RSA).

• The public key is displayed, which should start withm/0’/0′.

Bech32 Addresses

Bech32 addresses are a standardized address format used for Bitcoin.

To verify Bech32 addresses:

• Go to the "Wallet" or "Settings" menu.

• Select "Generate New Address"

• Select the address type (e.g., P2PKH, P2SH, P2WPKH, P2WSH, P2TR).

• The address will be displayed in the formatm/0’/0′, which includes the Bech32 prefix.

Verifying the Address and Signature

To verify their address and signature:

• Copy the public key (m/0'/0'') from your wallet.

• Paste or type the signature (m/0’/0”) into the verification window (usually found in the "Wallet" or "Settings" menu).

• Enter the Bech32 address (m/0’/0”) to verify.

Example

Let's say you want to verify an address and signature for a specific Bitcoin transaction. Here are some example values:

• Public key:m/1’/0”

• Signature: m/2'/0''

• Bech32 address: m/3'/0''

To verify the ownership of this address, please enter the following information in your wallet or verification window:

• Public key(m/1'/0'')

• Signature (m/2’/0”)

• Bech32 address(m/3’/0”`)

If the transaction has been successfully verified and confirmed by the network, you should see a success message indicating that ownership of the address has been validated.

Conclusion

Verifying Bitcoin addresses and signatures is an essential step in ensuring the authenticity and ownership of a Bitcoin transaction. By following these steps and using the correct public key, signature, and Bech32 address, you can verify the address and signature to ensure its legitimacy.