This page describes how to reset your organization's backup on the Fordefi platform.
Resetting a backup invalidates your current backup configuration (public keys and backup artifacts) and lets you create a new one. It does not change the key material they contain. Following reset, if you so choose, you can select a backup scheme that is different from the one you used previously.
The flow requires both Fordefi Support involvement and Admin Quorum approval — no single individual can reset a backup unilaterally.
Resetting a backup is a high-risk operation designed for emergency recovery and organizational control changes. It is intentionally high-friction to protect your assets.
| Role | Can | Cannot |
|---|---|---|
| Org Admin | Initiate reset (after CS enablement), approve reset via quorum, create and approve new backup | Enable reset eligibility, delete backup without quorum |
| Fordefi CS | Enable reset eligibility, view reset status and audit logs | Initiate, approve, delete, or create backups |
| Non‑admins | View the backup page | Initiate reset or backup creation |
- Reset is irreversible. Once the Admin Quorum approves, the backup is permanently destroyed.
- Reset will affect your backup for all your organizations.
- The 24-hour eligibility window is strict. If it expires, restart from Step 1.
- This flow is not for routine administration. Use it only for organizational control changes.
There are six phases to this process:
- Contact Fordefi support
- Customer Support enables reset eligibility
- Initiate the reset
- Have Admin Quorum approve the reset
- "No Backup Configured" state is entered
- Create a new backup
Details in the following sections.
To initiate the process, click Settings in the sidebar, then click the Reset Backup button at the top right of the screen that appears.
Alternatively, reach out to Fordefi Customer Support on your shared Slack or Telegram channel and request a backup reset.
Customer Support will verify your identity off-platform (this may include a live video call) before enabling the reset.
Once verified, CS turns on reset eligibility for your organization.
A banner appears in the Settings screen with the text: "Reset enabled by Fordefi Support".
Eligibility expires after 24 hours. If unused within that time, you'll need to contact CS again.
In the Settings screen, click Reset Backup.
A confirmation appears warning you that:
- The backup will be permanently deleted.
- Your organization will be unrecoverable until a new backup is created.
Check the explicit confirmation checkbox and proceed.
The reset triggers an Admin Quorum approval flow:
- Each required admin signs "Approve Backup Reset" using the standard quorum signing flow.
- Once the quorum threshold is met, the existing backup is automatically and permanently deleted by the platform.
Note that deletion is irreversible. CS cannot delete the backup manually — only quorum can trigger it.
After deletion, your organization enters the No Backup Configured state:
- A "no backup" warning is displayed.
- A seven-day countdown begins.
In the Settings screen, click Create new backup (admin quorum required).
- Backup parameters (type, providers, thresholds) are chosen during this step.
- A new admin quorum is required to approve creation. Choose one of the following methods:
- Passphrase recovery: quorum includes the superset of admins who hold parts of the passphrase, plus additional quorum participants who sign the operation.
- Public key recovery: standard admin quorum.
- The same admins who approved the reset may be asked to approve again — this is expected.
Learn more about backup options and flows here.