BAPBA Protocol
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Burning Ash Protocol — general, security, and troubleshooting.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is Burning Ash Protocol?

BAP is a digital will service that securely stores important documents and transfers them to designated survivors after death or incapacitation. It uses military-grade encryption and Shamir's Secret Sharing.

Who is BAP for?

BAP is for anyone who wants to ensure their digital assets and important documents are accessible to loved ones after they're gone. It's particularly useful for:

  • Individuals with digital assets
  • Families wanting secure document transfer
  • Anyone wanting peace of mind

No. BAP is a technical tool, not legal services. We don't provide legal advice. For legal matters, consult an attorney.

How much does BAP cost?

Self-hosted deployment is coming soon. When available, BAP will be free for self-hosted deployments. Cloud/managed versions may have fees in the future.

Security Questions

How secure is BAP?

Very secure:

  • AES-256-GCM encryption
  • Unique keys per will
  • Shamir's Secret Sharing for access control
  • No plaintext stored anywhere
  • TLS 1.3 for all traffic
  • Argon2id for password hashing

Can you read my documents?

No. We use envelope encryption:

  1. Documents encrypted before upload
  2. Encryption key split via SSS
  3. We never have all keys

What happens if I lose my keys?

Data becomes unrecoverable. This is intentional.

If you lose:

  • Access to your account
  • Survivor authentication
  • Backup codes

No one (including us) can recover your data.

What happens if survivors lose their codes?

If survivors can't authenticate and have no backup codes, they cannot access the will.

Can I change the encryption key?

Yes, master key rotation is supported. Contact support for instructions.

Is my data backed up?

You are responsible for backups. We recommend:

  • Keeping local copies of important documents
  • Ensuring survivors have backup codes

Technical Questions

What storage providers do you support?

  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • AWS S3
  • FTP/SFTP

What notification channels do you support?

  • Email (any SMTP provider)
  • SMS (Twilio)
  • WhatsApp (Meta Cloud API)
  • Telegram (Bot API)

What file types can I upload?

  • PDF (.pdf)
  • Word (.doc, .docx)
  • Text (.txt)
  • Images (.jpg, .jpeg, .png)
  • Other (.odt, .rtf)

What's the file size limit?

  • 50MB per file
  • 500MB total will

How many survivors can I add?

2-10 survivors per will.

What is the threshold?

The threshold (K-of-N) determines how many survivors must authenticate to access the will.

Example: 2-of-3 means any 2 of 3 survivors can access.

Setup Questions

How do I get started?

  1. Install BAP (Docker or manual)
  2. Create an account
  3. Configure connectors
  4. Connect storage
  5. Add survivors
  6. Upload documents
  7. Seal your will

See Quickstart Guide.

How long does setup take?

About 15-30 minutes for initial setup.

Do I need technical skills?

Basic technical skills needed for:

  • Installation (Docker)
  • Configuration
  • Understanding encryption basics

The survivor experience is designed to be simple.

Troubleshooting

I didn't receive my verification email

Check:

  1. Spam/junk folder
  2. Correct email address
  3. Email service isn't blocking us

Contact support if issues persist.

Connector test failed

Check:

  1. Credentials are correct
  2. API keys haven't expired
  3. Account is active with provider

See Configuring Connectors.

Can't upload documents

Check:

  1. File size limits (50MB max)
  2. Supported file types
  3. Storage connected and working
  4. Enough storage space

Will won't seal

Ensure:

  1. At least 2 survivors added
  2. Storage connected
  3. Threshold ≤ number of survivors

Liveness check failed

Don't worry - one missed check doesn't trigger transfer.

If you're concerned:

  1. Log in to dashboard
  2. Click "I'm Alive" to confirm
  3. Check connector configuration

Need to update my will

You cannot modify a sealed will. Create a new one:

  1. Old will is archived
  2. New draft created
  3. Upload new documents
  4. Seal new will

Survivor Questions

I was notified about a will - what do I do?

  1. Don't panic - host may cancel
  2. Wait for transfer window
  3. Or verify your identity when ready

I can't receive OTP

  1. Check all channels (email, SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram)
  2. Use a backup code
  3. Contact the host

How do I access documents?

  1. Verify identity via OTP
  2. Wait for threshold to be met
  3. Download documents

See Survivor Guides.

Contact

Need more help?

Security Disclosure Policy

How to report security issues in Burning Ash Protocol — responsible disclosure, scope, and safe harbor.

On this page

Frequently Asked QuestionsGeneral QuestionsWhat is Burning Ash Protocol?Who is BAP for?Is BAP a legal service?How much does BAP cost?Security QuestionsHow secure is BAP?Can you read my documents?What happens if I lose my keys?What happens if survivors lose their codes?Can I change the encryption key?Is my data backed up?Technical QuestionsWhat storage providers do you support?What notification channels do you support?What file types can I upload?What's the file size limit?How many survivors can I add?What is the threshold?Setup QuestionsHow do I get started?How long does setup take?Do I need technical skills?TroubleshootingI didn't receive my verification emailConnector test failedCan't upload documentsWill won't sealLiveness check failedNeed to update my willSurvivor QuestionsI was notified about a will - what do I do?I can't receive OTPHow do I access documents?ContactNeed more help?