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You should have backup 2FA methods for that case, either more tokens at different locations or other 2FA methods like TOTP or printed one-time backup codes or all of these together.


I say take a morning and print out all your one-time recovery keys, put them in an envelope, and put that envelope next to your other important but rarely used documents.


Then buy a fireproof document safe and put all those documents in there.


Off topic: I feel like a fireproof document safe is something that I should own, but every time I shop for one I find myself going down a rabbit hole of unfamiliar terminology and certifications. As with many things, it seems like the marketing for such safes doesn't always match the fine print.

(And sometime the fine print just seems impractical: I'm unlikely to actually air out my safe for 30 minutes each week, but could replace a desiccant a few times a year.)

Does anyone have a recommendation for a safe that can protect paper documents and digital media from both fire and water in realistic conditions?


I don't have a specific recommendation, but suggest you don't try to combine the paper and digital requirements.

Look for UL fire endurance ratings. UL rates them on time and temperature. Edit: I've seen ratings up to 3 hours, but the longer the time, the bulkier and heavier for the same storage volume.

For paper, you'd want something rated to stay below 350 degrees for at least an hour. That's not hard to find even in large sizes. I ended up with a used FireKing 4 drawer file cabinet from a company liquidation sale. Edit: Built like a tank, holds a lot, uses a Medeco key, weighs a couple hundred pounds empty.

For digital, you need something rated to stay below 125 degrees. That's pretty hard to find, and usually only in very small boxes. Unfortunately, some companies (looking at you, Sentry) like to advertise "digital media" boxes which are not rated for 125 when you read the fine print. Not sure how they get away with that. :(

I eventually found a small Sentry chest rated for 125 degrees for 30 minutes. Holds a couple hard drives and some DVDs. Sadly, do not recall the model number. Edit: Storage volume is maybe 5"x5"x8", walls are all 3-4" thick.




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