MetaMask Vault — Hashcat Mode 26600
TL;DR — MetaMask stores its encrypted seed phrase + private keys in browser-local storage as a 'vault' object. The encryption is AES-GCM with PBKDF2-SHA256 KDF (10,000 iterations). Mode 26600 in Hashcat. The relatively low iteration count means typical passwords are recoverable; strong random passwords are not.
Where the vault lives
MetaMask Chrome/Edge extension stores the vault in IndexedDB or chrome.storage.local. Firefox stores it in browser.storage.local. Mobile MetaMask uses platform-secure storage.
Extracting the vault: in Chrome, navigate to the extension storage in DevTools → Application → IndexedDB. The vault entry is JSON containing 'data', 'iv', 'salt' fields.
If you have the vault JSON but forgot the password, mode 26600 targets exactly this format.
Recovery characteristics
10,000 PBKDF2 iterations is relatively low — modern GPUs verify millions of MetaMask passwords per second per card. Recovery for typical human passwords is fast.
Strong random passwords from a password manager remain secure. Personal passwords don't.
Browser-side considerations
The vault is associated with a specific browser profile. Wiping browser data deletes it. Always export the vault JSON before reinstalling MetaMask if you might forget the password.
Hardware wallet integrations don't store private keys in MetaMask vault — they use the hardware device. Vault recovery in that case unlocks the saved profile but doesn't reveal hardware-stored keys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the seed phrase in the vault?
Why are MetaMask iterations so low?
What about MetaMask Mobile?
Can I recover if I deleted the extension?
Related references
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