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Wallet Architecture

ARGUS is a wallet that provides flexible security options for different use cases. While ARGUS uses invisible multisig infrastructure under the hood, users can organize their assets across different security configurations within a single wallet interface.

The Problem with Traditional Wallets​

Traditional cryptocurrency wallets force users to choose between two extremes:

Hot Wallets (Convenience)​

Examples: MetaMask, Phantom, Solflare

Advantages:

  • ✅ Instant access to funds
  • ✅ Quick transaction signing
  • ✅ Seamless DApp integration
  • ✅ Easy to use

Vulnerabilities:

  • ❌ Private keys stored on internet-connected devices
  • ❌ Vulnerable to phishing attacks
  • ❌ Malware can exfiltrate keys
  • ❌ No protection against remote attacks
  • ❌ Single point of failure

Cold Wallets (Security)​

Examples: Ledger, Trezor, Paper Wallets

Advantages:

  • ✅ Private keys never touch internet
  • ✅ Protected from remote attacks
  • ✅ Resistant to malware
  • ✅ Physical security

Vulnerabilities:

  • ❌ Inconvenient for daily use
  • ❌ Slow transaction process
  • ❌ Poor DApp integration
  • ❌ Risk of physical loss/damage
  • ❌ High friction deters usage

ARGUS Wallet Structure​

ARGUS provides flexible security configurations within a single wallet interface, allowing you to optimize for your specific use case.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  ARGUS WALLET                        │
├──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┤
│   Standard Wallet        │       Argus Vault            │
│   (Standard Security)    │    (Multi-Layer Security) │
├──────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────┤
│  • Instant access        │  • Multi-sig security    │
│  • Password only         │  • Voice biometrics      │
│  • DApp integration      │  • Geographic fence      │
│  • Quick transactions    │  • Hardware keys         │
│  • 1-5% holdings         │  • 95-99% holdings       │
└──────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────┘

Standard Wallet​

Overview​

The standard wallet in ARGUS is a standard Solana keypair wallet that operates like traditional cryptocurrency wallets. It's your everyday spending wallet, providing convenience for frequent transactions.

Technical Details​

Key Generation:

// Generated using Solana's standard keypair generation
const masterKeypair = Keypair.generate();

// Or derived from BIP39 mnemonic
const seed = await bip39.mnemonicToSeed(mnemonic);
const masterKeypair = Keypair.fromSeed(seed.slice(0, 32));

Storage:

  • Private key encrypted with user password (AES-256-GCM)
  • Stored in Chrome's chrome.storage.sync (encrypted at rest)
  • Synchronized across user's Chrome installations
  • Never transmitted to ARGUS servers

Transaction Flow:

User clicks "Send" 
    ↓
Enter amount & recipient
    ↓
Review transaction
    ↓
Enter password
    ↓
Decrypt private key (client-side)
    ↓
Sign transaction (client-side)
    ↓
Broadcast to Solana network
    ↓
Confirmed in ~500ms

Use Cases​

Ideal For:

  • Daily spending (coffee, purchases, tips)
  • DeFi protocols (lending, farming, swapping)
  • NFT minting and trading
  • DApp interactions
  • Testing and development
  • Airdrops and faucets

Recommended Balance:

  • 1-5% of total portfolio
  • Enough for 1-2 weeks of transactions
  • Amount you're comfortable risking

Security Profile:

  • Single-factor authentication (password)
  • Client-side key storage
  • Equivalent to MetaMask/Phantom security
  • Fast and convenient

Security Considerations​

Protected Against:

  • ✅ Unauthorized access (password required)
  • ✅ Key exfiltration from ARGUS servers (keys never leave device)
  • ✅ Plaintext storage (AES-256 encryption)

Vulnerable To:

  • ❌ Malware on infected computer
  • ❌ Phishing if password compromised
  • ❌ Physical access + password breach
  • ❌ Browser extension vulnerabilities

Mitigation: Keep only small amounts in your standard wallet. Move large holdings to Argus Vault.

Argus Vault: Multi-Layer Security​

Overview​

The Argus Vault is the core security primitive of ARGUS. It's a Squads Protocol V4 multisig account that requires multiple independent security verifications to approve any transaction. Every transaction requires both a valid cryptographic signature and real-time verification of physical and environmental context.

Technical Details​

Structure:

// Squads V4 multisig with 2-of-2 threshold
Multisig Members:
  - Member 1: User's wallet key (signer)
  - Member 2: ARGUS Backend Server (co-signer)

Threshold: 2 of 2 (both signatures required)

Program: SQDS4ep65T869zMMBKyuUq6aD6EgTu8psMjkvj52pCf

PDA Derivation:

// Multisig PDA
const [multisigPDA] = PublicKey.findProgramAddressSync(
  [
    Buffer.from("multisig"),
    createKey.publicKey.toBuffer(),
    Buffer.from("ARGUS"),
  ],
  SQUADS_PROGRAM_ID
);

// Vault PDA (holds actual funds)
const [vaultPDA] = PublicKey.findProgramAddressSync(
  [
    Buffer.from("vault"),
    multisigPDA.toBuffer(),
    new Uint8Array([vaultIndex]),
  ],
  SQUADS_PROGRAM_ID
);

Transaction Flow:

User initiates transfer
    ↓
Create VaultTransaction proposal (on-chain)
    ↓
User signs proposal creation
    ↓
Security Layer 1: Voice Verification
    ↓
Security Layer 2: Geographic Verification
    ↓
Security Layer 3: Hardware Key (optional)
    ↓
Security Layer 4: Bluetooth Device (optional)
    ↓
Security Layer 5: Biometric (optional)
    ↓
All verifications passed
    ↓
Server co-signs proposal
    ↓
Execute transaction via Squads
    ↓
Confirmed on-chain

Use Cases​

Ideal For:

  • Long-term holdings (HODL)
  • Life savings in crypto
  • Large investments
  • Emergency funds
  • Assets you rarely need to access
  • Compliance-required storage
  • Multi-party treasury funds

Recommended Balance:

  • 95-99% of total portfolio
  • Assets you don't need daily/weekly access to
  • Maximum security priority

Security Profile:

  • Multi-factor authentication (5 layers possible)
  • On-chain multisig with server co-signer
  • Geographic binding to physical location
  • Biometric verification
  • Hardware security keys
  • Enterprise-grade protection

Security Layers​

Each layer is independent and provides defense-in-depth:

LayerTypeRequirementBypass Difficulty
VoiceBiometricRecord voice sampleVery High (voice synthesis detection)
LocationGeographicBe at geo-fence locationImpossible remotely
HardwarePhysicalConnect registered USB deviceHigh (requires physical theft)
BluetoothProximityRegistered device nearbyHigh (requires physical theft)
BiometricPlatformFingerprint/Face IDHigh (requires physical presence)

Combined Security: To compromise a Argus Vault, an attacker needs:

  1. Your private key (seed phrase)
  2. Your voice recording (good quality)
  3. Physical presence at your location
  4. Your hardware security key
  5. Your bluetooth device
  6. Your fingerprint/face

This makes unauthorized access practically impossible even with sophisticated resources.

Architectural Comparison​

Standard Wallet Architecture​

┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
│          Chrome Extension             │
│  ┌────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │     User Interface (React)     │  │
│  └────────────┬───────────────────┘  │
│               │                       │
│  ┌────────────▼───────────────────┐  │
│  │    Transaction Construction    │  │
│  │       (Solana Web3.js)         │  │
│  └────────────┬───────────────────┘  │
│               │                       │
│  ┌────────────▼───────────────────┐  │
│  │   Encrypted Private Key        │  │
│  │   (chrome.storage.sync)        │  │
│  └────────────┬───────────────────┘  │
│               │                       │
│  ┌────────────▼───────────────────┐  │
│  │    Client-Side Signing         │  │
│  │     (No server involved)       │  │
│  └────────────┬───────────────────┘  │
└───────────────┼───────────────────────┘
                │
                ▼
       Solana Network (RPC)

Argus Vault Architecture​

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              Chrome Extension                     │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │      User Interface (React)               │  │
│  └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘  │
│                  │                                │
│  ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐  │
│  │   Create Multisig Proposal                │  │
│  │     (Squads SDK)                          │  │
│  └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘  │
│                  │                                │
│  ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐  │
│  │   User Signs Proposal                     │  │
│  │   (User wallet signature)                  │  │
│  └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘  │
└──────────────────┼───────────────────────────────┘
                   │
                   ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              ARGUS Backend Server                 │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │   Voice Verification                      │  │
│  │   (MFCC comparison)                       │  │
│  └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘  │
│                  │                                │
│  ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐  │
│  │   Geographic Verification                 │  │
│  │   (Haversine distance)                    │  │
│  └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘  │
│                  │                                │
│  ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐  │
│  │   Server Co-Signs Proposal                │  │
│  │   (If all verifications pass)             │  │
│  └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘  │
└──────────────────┼───────────────────────────────┘
                   │
                   ▼
          Solana Network (RPC)
                   │
                   ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│           Squads V4 Smart Contract                │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │   Verify 2-of-2 signatures present        │  │
│  └───────────────┬───────────────────────────┘  │
│                  │                                │
│  ┌───────────────▼───────────────────────────┐  │
│  │   Execute transaction from Vault PDA      │  │
│  └───────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Unified User Experience​

Despite the architectural differences, ARGUS presents a seamless, unified interface:

Wallet Selector​

┌─────────────────────────┐
│  ▼ Wallet      SOL  │  ← Dropdown selector
├─────────────────────────┤
│  ○ Standard Wallet            │
│  ◉ Argus Vault             │  ← Switch between wallets
└─────────────────────────┘

Transaction Interface​

Both wallets use the same UI flow:

  1. Select token
  2. Enter recipient and amount
  3. Review transaction
  4. Approve (different verification based on wallet type)

The user doesn't need to understand the underlying architecture—ARGUS handles the complexity.

Balance Display​

┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│  Standard Wallet         Argus Vault   │
│  ◉ 0.5 SOL          ○ 100 SOL   │  ← Quick balance view
│  $65 USD            $13,000 USD │
└─────────────────────────────────┘

Best Practices​

Fund Allocation Strategy​

Conservative (Maximum Security):

  • Standard Wallet: 1% (~1 week of spending)
  • Argus Vault: 99% (long-term holdings)

Balanced (Security + Convenience):

  • Standard Wallet: 5% (active trading, DeFi)
  • Argus Vault: 95% (long-term holdings)

Aggressive (Active Trading):

  • Standard Wallet: 10-15% (frequent transactions)
  • Argus Vault: 85-90% (core holdings)

Transaction Patterns​

Standard Wallet Usage:

  • Frequency: Daily to weekly
  • Amount: Small to medium (less than $1000)
  • Speed: Instant (under 2 seconds)
  • Verification: Password only

Argus Vault Usage:

  • Frequency: Monthly to yearly
  • Amount: Large (over $1000)
  • Speed: Slower (30-60 seconds)
  • Verification: Full security stack

Security Recommendations​

  1. Never keep all funds in standard wallet

    • Even if you trust your security, accidents happen
    • Malware, phishing, and attacks target standard wallets

  2. Test Argus Vault before large transfers

    • Send 0.01 SOL test transaction
    • Verify all security layers work
    • Confirm you can access when needed

  3. Keep standard wallet funded

    • Always maintain enough SOL for fees
    • Minimum: 0.01 SOL
    • Recommended: 0.05-0.1 SOL

  4. Regular rebalancing

    • Weekly: Check if standard wallet needs refilling
    • Monthly: Review allocation percentages
    • Quarterly: Audit transaction patterns

  5. Separate concerns

    • Standard Wallet: Working capital
    • Argus Vault: Savings/investment capital
    • Think like checking vs. savings account

Internal Transfers​

Transferring between your own wallets is seamless and recognized by ARGUS:

Standard Wallet → Argus Vault​

1. Select standard wallet
2. Click Send
3. Paste Argus Vault address
4. ARGUS shows "↑ Sending to your Argus Vault"
5. Enter amount
6. Confirm with password
7. Complete in seconds

Argus Vault → Standard Wallet​

1. Select Argus Vault
2. Click Send
3. Paste standard wallet address
4. ARGUS shows "↓ Sending to your wallet"
5. Enter amount
6. Complete security verifications
7. Transaction approved and executed

Special Features:

  • Auto-detection of your own addresses
  • Special icons for internal transfers
  • No confusion about which wallet you're sending to
  • Transaction history shows internal transfers clearly

Advanced: Multiple Argus Vaults​

Power users can create multiple Argus Vaults for different purposes:

Use Case: Geographic Distribution​

┌───────────────────────┐
│  Standard Wallet      │  1% - Daily spending
├───────────────────────┤
│  Home Argus Vault        │  50% - Personal savings
├───────────────────────┤
│  Office Argus Vault      │  30% - Business funds
├───────────────────────┤
│  Travel Argus Vault      │  19% - Accessible globally
└───────────────────────┘

Use Case: Asset Segregation​

┌───────────────────────┐
│  Standard Wallet      │  Trading capital
├───────────────────────┤
│  SOL Argus Vault         │  Long-term SOL holdings
├───────────────────────┤
│  Stablecoin Argus Vault  │  USDC savings
├───────────────────────┤
│  Governance Argus Vault  │  $ARGUS staking
└───────────────────────┘

Each Argus Vault has:

  • Independent security configuration
  • Different geographic locations
  • Separate transaction history
  • Unique multisig structure

Technical Implementation​

Wallet State Management​

Chrome Storage Structure:

interface WalletStorage {
  // Standard Wallet
  walletKeyEncrypted: string;        // AES-256-GCM encrypted
  walletKeyPublic: string;            // Public key (not sensitive)
  
  // Argus Vaults (array for multiple vaults)
  argusVaults: Array<{
    multisigAddress: string;          // Squads multisig PDA
    vaultAddress: string;             // Vault PDA (holds funds)
    name: string;                     // User-defined name
    createdAt: number;                // Timestamp
    securityConfig: {                 // Active security layers
      voice: boolean;
      geofence: boolean;
      hardwareKey: boolean;
      bluetooth: boolean;
      biometric: boolean;
    };
  }>;
  
  // Active wallet selection
  activeWallet: 'masterKey' | string; // or Argus Vault address
}

Balance Fetching​

Standard Wallet:

// Direct RPC call
const balance = await connection.getBalance(walletPublic);

// SPL tokens
const tokenAccounts = await connection.getParsedTokenAccountsByOwner(
  walletPublic,
  { programId: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID }
);

Argus Vault:

// Query vault PDA balance
const balance = await connection.getBalance(vaultPDA);

// SPL tokens in vault
const tokenAccounts = await connection.getParsedTokenAccountsByOwner(
  vaultPDA,
  { programId: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID }
);

Real-Time Updates​

Both wallets subscribe to WebSocket updates:

// Subscribe to account changes
connection.onAccountChange(
  walletAddress,
  (accountInfo) => {
    // Update UI with new balance
    updateBalance(accountInfo.lamports);
  },
  'confirmed'
);

Conclusion​

ARGUS provides flexible security configurations within a single wallet interface. The standard wallet offers convenience for daily use, while Argus Vault provides multi-layer security for long-term holdings.

Key Takeaways:

  • Standard Wallet: Fast, convenient, for daily use (1-5% holdings)
  • Argus Vault: Secure, multi-layered, for savings (95-99% holdings)
  • Unified interface: Seamless switching between wallets
  • Independent security: Compromise of one doesn't affect the other
  • Flexible allocation: Users choose their own risk/convenience balance

Next Steps​

Two wallets, one unified experience. Security without compromise.