This deck (10 slides) explains Trezor Bridge: what it is, why it matters for hardware wallet connectivity, how it protects users, and best practices to ensure secure and seamless interactions between Trezor devices and desktop browsers or applications.
Trezor Bridge is a lightweight communication layer that securely connects Trezor hardware wallets to desktop browsers and native applications. It runs locally, mediates USB connections, and ensures that sensitive cryptographic operations stay on the device while providing a smooth user experience.
Trezor Bridge prevents websites and apps from directly accessing private keys or executing operations off-device. Instead, it passes structured requests that the device verifies and signs. This separation reduces attack surface and defends against malware and phishing.
At a high level: application → Trezor Bridge (local service) → USB → Trezor device. Bridge translates web or app API calls into device requests, tracks sessions, and routes messages so that the host and device communicate reliably without exposing secrets.
Trezor Bridge employs multiple safeguards: signed firmware verification, origin checking for web requests, strict USB request mapping, and minimal privileges for the host process. These design choices make remote compromise of user keys significantly harder.
1) Wallet setup — Bridge facilitates the initial device initialization and backup. 2) Sending funds — the host constructs a transaction and Bridge routes it for device signing. 3) DApp interaction — Bridge enables web-based dApps to request signatures while preserving user verification on-device.
Always verify the transaction details displayed on the hardware device screen — not on your computer.
Trezor Bridge runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It handles differences between browsers (e.g., when native WebUSB isn't available) so users don't need to install browser-specific drivers. The result: consistent behaviour across environments.
If the device isn't detected: check USB cable, confirm Bridge is running, verify browser permissions, update Bridge, and reboot if necessary. For advanced diagnostics, logs can be enabled and sent to official support channels while redacting sensitive data.
Trezor Bridge is a core piece of secure hardware wallet UX — pairing robust security with practical compatibility. Encourage users to install Bridge from official sources, keep firmware current, and always confirm transactions on their Trezor device.
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