Set and answer an archive question
Who is this article for?
CrashPlan for Small Business, no.
Code42 for Enterprise, yes.
Link: Product plans and features.
This article applies to app version 4.
Note: This app version is no longer supported.
Other available versions:
Overview
An archive question is an optional feature of the archive key password encryption option. The archive question can be used to reset your archive key password in the event that the existing password is lost or forgotten.
This article explains how to set your archive question and how to use the archive question to reset your archive key password.
Considerations
- The archive question feature is available in versions 3.6.1 and later of the CrashPlan app. Find your current version in the CrashPlan app under Settings > Account.
- You must know your existing archive key password in order to set the archive question. The question cannot be set if the archive key password has already been lost or forgotten.
- Code42 Customer Champions cannot set an archive question for you or recover the answer to your archive question.
An archive question reduces the risk of not being able to restore your files due to a lost or forgotten password. However, it increases the risk of someone bypassing your archive key password. If you choose to use this optional feature, take great care when selecting an archive question and answer. In general, a secure question has the following characteristics:
- Question has hundreds, if not thousands, of possible answers
- Question is not a question you would answer publicly (online or in person)
- Answer is easy for you to remember
- Answer cannot be researched online via Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
- Answer does not change over time
Before you begin
- You must upgrade from standard security in order to use an archive question.
- We recommend reviewing CrashPlan's archive encryption key security overview before continuing.
Set an archive question
- Go to Settings > Security in the CrashPlan app.
- Click Set Archive Question.
The Change Archive Question dialog displays.
- Enter your current archive key password.
- Enter a question to use as your archive question.
The question cannot exceed 128 characters. - Enter your answer to your archive question.
The answer is not case sensitive.
- Click Ok.
Your archive questions has been set, and you can use it to reset your archive key password in the future.
Answer an archive question
After setting your archive question, you can answer your archive question to change your archive key password.
- Go to Settings > Security in the CrashPlan app.
- Click Forgot?.
The Change Archive Password window opens.
- Enter the answer to your security question.
- Enter a new archive key password.
- Re-enter your new archive key password.
- Click Ok.
Your archive key password has been changed.
If the existing password is lost or forgotten and you are unable to answer your archive question, you must start over with a new account, which means you must start your backup over.
External resources
The links provided below contain considerations you may find useful for creating a secure archive question. However, a secure archive question is one that only you can answer, so we discourage simply copying these examples.
- Lifehacker: Choose Good Security Question and Better Answers
- Geeks with Blogs: How to pick a REALLY good security question
- MakeUseOf: How To Create A Security Question That No One Else Can Guess