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4. Connecting, signing and approving are different actions

Read the wallet request

Connecting typically shares your selected public address with an app and lets it request further actions. A signature, token spending approval and transaction submission have different consequences. Mechanisms differ across networks and account types. Do not treat every fee-free signature as an ordinary safe login: some signed authorisations can be used later.

Before confirming, establish who requests the action, which contract gains authority, for which token, amount and duration. Compare the request with your intended purpose. If the interface does not explain the data or you do not understand it, reject the request and find the official explanation. A large or unlimited limit increases potential harm. A familiar project name does not remove the need to check the specific request.

Disconnecting is not revoking

Closing a tab or disconnecting a dapp from your wallet is different from cancelling an existing token approval. Permissions must be inspected and revoked separately using official instructions for the network. Revocation may require a network fee; it does not return stolen assets or change an exposed private key. There is no single action that fixes every case.

Exercise and explanation

A fictional app offers a free picture but requests unlimited access to a fictional stablecoin. It then says, “If you change your mind, just close the tab.” Write your decision.

Answer: reject the disproportionate request and verify the permission’s purpose. Closing the tab does not remove granted authority. A zero signature fee and no immediate debit do not prove an absence of risk. We are analysing a description; connecting a wallet, signing or revoking anything for the exercise is neither allowed nor required.