Command Line Interface

The cryptnox command provides a comprehensive CLI for managing Cryptnox cards and performing cryptocurrency operations.

Installation

After installing the cryptnoxpro package, the cryptnox command becomes available in your system:

pip install cryptnoxpro

Basic Usage

cryptnox [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]...

Global Options

-v, --version

Show the version and exit.

--verbose

Turn on logging for detailed output.

-s, --serial SERIAL

Serial number of the card to be used for the command.

--port PORT

Define port to enable remote feature.

Commands Overview

Card Management Commands

list

List all connected Cryptnox cards.

cryptnox list

init

Initialize a Cryptnox card with owner information and PIN/PUK codes.

cryptnox init [OPTIONS]
Options:

  • -e, --easy_mode: Initialize card in easy mode (sets PIN and PUK to all zeros)

reset

Reset the card to factory defaults.

cryptnox reset

Warning: This will erase all data on the card.

info

Display default accounts information for the card.

cryptnox info
Shows:

  • Card serial number and type

  • Ethereum and Bitcoin addresses

  • Public keys

  • Derivation information

Seed Management Commands

seed backup

Generate seed in host, backup to AWS KMS, and upload to card.

cryptnox seed backup
Features:

  • Generates new 32-byte random seed

  • Stores encrypted backup in AWS KMS (Hardware Security Module)

  • Supports BIP39 passphrase (13th/25th word)

  • Loads seed onto card

seed chip

Generate new root key directly in the card’s secure chip.

cryptnox seed chip

Note: The seed never leaves the card and cannot be backed up.

seed dual

Generate the same seed on two cards for redundancy.

cryptnox seed dual

Requirements: Two initialized Cryptnox cards

Process:

  1. Generate seed on first card

  2. Swap cards

  3. Load same seed on second card

  4. Results in two cards with identical keys

seed recover

Recover a wallet from an existing BIP39 mnemonic phrase (12 or 24 words).

cryptnox seed recover
Input Required:

  • Existing BIP39 mnemonic (12 or 24 words)

  • Optional: BIP39 passphrase (13th/25th word)

Options:

  • Backup to AWS KMS

  • Load directly to card

Use Cases:

  • Restoring existing wallet

  • Migrating wallet from another device

  • Recovering from backup mnemonic

Important: If the original wallet used a BIP39 passphrase, you must provide the same passphrase during recovery.

seed restore

Restore seed from AWS KMS backup.

cryptnox seed restore
Requirements:

  • AWS access credentials

  • Backup name/alias in KMS

Important: If a BIP39 passphrase was used when creating the backup, you must provide the same passphrase during restore.

seed upload

Generate new random seed, upload to card, and display BIP39 mnemonic for backup.

cryptnox seed upload
Features:

  • Generates new 32-byte random seed using card’s hardware RNG

  • Converts to BIP39 mnemonic (12 or 24 words)

  • Optional: Add BIP39 passphrase (13th/25th word) for extra security

  • Displays mnemonic for manual backup

  • Optional: Backup to AWS KMS

Output: The generated mnemonic phrase (save it securely!)

Important: If you use a BIP39 passphrase, you must remember it. It cannot be recovered.

Security Commands

change_pin

Change the PIN code of the card.

cryptnox change_pin

Requirements: Current PIN code

change_puk

Change the PUK (PIN Unblocking Key) code of the card.

cryptnox change_puk

Requirements: Current PUK code

unlock_pin

Unlock a card with blocked PIN using the PUK code and set a new PIN.

cryptnox unlock_pin

Requirements: PUK code

Note: PIN becomes blocked after multiple failed attempts.

Card Configuration

card_conf

Show or modify card configuration settings.

cryptnox card_conf [KEY] [VALUE]

Available Settings:

  • pinless: Enable/disable PIN-less path

  • pin: Enable/disable PIN authentication

Values: yes or no

Examples:

# Show current configuration
cryptnox card_conf

# Enable PIN-less path
cryptnox card_conf pinless yes

# Disable PIN-less path
cryptnox card_conf pinless no

Bitcoin Commands

btc send

Send Bitcoin to an address.

cryptnox btc send ADDRESS AMOUNT [OPTIONS]
Arguments:

  • ADDRESS: Bitcoin address (P2PKH, P2SH, or Bech32)

  • AMOUNT: Amount in BTC

Options:

  • -n, --network {mainnet,testnet}: Network to use

  • -f, --fees SATOSHIS: Transaction fees in satoshis per byte

Example:

cryptnox btc send 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa 0.001 -n mainnet -f 10

btc config

View or modify Bitcoin configuration.

cryptnox btc config [KEY] [VALUE]
Settings:

  • network: mainnet or testnet

  • derivation: Key derivation method

Ethereum Commands

eth send

Send Ether (ETH) to an address.

cryptnox eth send ADDRESS AMOUNT [OPTIONS]
Arguments:

  • ADDRESS: Ethereum address (0x…)

  • AMOUNT: Amount in ETH

Options:

  • -n, --network {mainnet,sepolia,goerli}: Network to use

  • --price GWEI: Gas price in Gwei

  • --limit GAS: Gas limit

Example:

cryptnox eth send 0x742d35Cc6634C0532925a3b844Bc9e7595f0bEb 0.1 -n mainnet --price 20

eth config

View or modify Ethereum configuration.

cryptnox eth config [KEY] [VALUE]
Settings:

  • network: mainnet, sepolia, or other networks

  • derivation: Key derivation method

  • api_key: Etherscan/Infura API key

  • endpoint: RPC endpoint

ERC Token Commands

eth erc20 init

Initialize ERC-20 token contract for transactions.

cryptnox eth erc20 init CONTRACT_ADDRESS [OPTIONS]

eth erc20 info

Display information about configured ERC-20 tokens.

cryptnox eth erc20 info

eth erc20 send

Send ERC-20 tokens.

cryptnox eth erc20 send TOKEN_ADDRESS RECIPIENT_ADDRESS AMOUNT [OPTIONS]

transfer

Transfer ERC-20 or ERC-721 tokens.

cryptnox transfer ADDRESS AMOUNT [OPTIONS]
Options:

  • --price GWEI: Gas price

  • --limit GAS: Gas limit

Configuration Commands

config

List or modify blockchain configurations.

cryptnox config [SECTION] [KEY] [VALUE]

Examples:

# Show all configuration
cryptnox config

# Show Ethereum configuration
cryptnox config eth

# Set Ethereum network
cryptnox config eth network mainnet

# Set Bitcoin derivation
cryptnox config btc derivation DERIVE

History and Information

history

List performed signatures and transactions.

cryptnox history [PAGE]
Arguments:

  • PAGE: Page number to display (default: 1)

Note: Shows up to 148 entries, 25 per page.

Advanced Commands

get_xpub

Get extended public key (xpub) for hierarchical deterministic wallets.

cryptnox get_xpub [OPTIONS]
Options:

  • Derivation path

  • Key type

get_clearpubkey

Get clear (uncompressed) public key from the card.

cryptnox get_clearpubkey [OPTIONS]

decrypt

Decrypt data using the card’s private key.

cryptnox decrypt [OPTIONS]

User Key Management

user_key list

List all configured user keys for authentication.

cryptnox user_key list

user_key add

Add a new user key for authentication (AWS KMS, PIV card, Windows Hello).

cryptnox user_key add TYPE [DESCRIPTION]
Available Types:

  • aws_kms: AWS Key Management Service

  • piv: PIV-compatible smart card

  • hello: Windows Hello (biometric)

Example:

cryptnox user_key add aws_kms "My AWS Key"

user_key delete

Delete a user key.

cryptnox user_key delete TYPE

Server Mode

server

Start a server or establish connection to a remote server.

cryptnox server [OPTIONS]
Options:

  • --port PORT: Server port (default: 5050)

  • --host HOST: Server host (default: 0.0.0.0)

Use Case: Remote card access over network

Interactive Mode

Launch interactive CLI mode:

cryptnox
In interactive mode, you can:

  • Execute commands without repeating cryptnox

  • Use use command to switch between multiple cards

  • Use exit to quit

Example Session:

$ cryptnox
Cryptnox Pro 2.9.1

> list
[Shows available cards]

> info
[Shows card information]

> exit

BIP39 Passphrase Support

The seed recover and seed upload commands support BIP39 passphrases (also known as the 13th/25th word).

What is a BIP39 Passphrase?

A BIP39 passphrase is an optional additional word that enhances security:

  • Acts as a “second factor” for your seed

  • Creates a completely different wallet from the same mnemonic

  • Must be remembered separately (not stored with the mnemonic)

  • Cannot be recovered if forgotten

Using BIP39 Passphrase

During seed upload (new wallet):

cryptnox seed upload

The command will prompt:

Do you want to use a BIP39 passphrase? [y/N]
If you choose yes:

  • Enter your desired passphrase

  • Confirm the passphrase

  • Remember it! You’ll need it for recovery

During seed recover (existing wallet):

cryptnox seed recover

If your wallet was created with a passphrase, you must provide the same passphrase when recovering.

Important Notes:

  • ⚠️ The passphrase is NOT backed up by AWS KMS

  • ⚠️ If you forget your passphrase, your funds are permanently lost

  • ✅ Same mnemonic + different passphrase = completely different wallet

  • ✅ Passphrase can be any UTF-8 string (including spaces and special characters)

Exit Codes

The CLI returns the following exit codes:

  • 0: Success

  • -1: Error occurred

  • -2: Card error or card not found

Error Handling

When errors occur:

  • Detailed error messages are displayed

  • Errors are logged to: ~/.local/share/cryptnoxpro/error.log (Linux/macOS) or %LOCALAPPDATA%\\cryptnox\\cryptnoxpro\\error.log (Windows)

  • You can report errors to help improve the application

Examples

Initialize a new card:

cryptnox init

Generate and backup a seed:

cryptnox seed backup

Recover from existing mnemonic:

cryptnox seed recover

Send Bitcoin:

cryptnox btc send 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa 0.001 -n testnet

Send Ethereum:

cryptnox eth send 0x742d35Cc6634C0532925a3b844Bc9e7595f0bEb 0.1 -n mainnet

View card info:

cryptnox info

Change PIN:

cryptnox change_pin

See Also