⏰ Dead Man Switch
The Dead Man Switch guards Business Continuity plans, and it is quieter than it sounds. It does nothing, possibly for years.
Only when someone requests access does it check whether the plan's creator is still there: the creator gets the chance to respond, and one response stops the access. If the creator does not respond in time, the request moves on, still gated by the same approvals as everyone else.
Switches
When you create a continuity plan, you enable at least one switch. Each switch is a way for you to say "I am still here", with its own countdown that you set in days, hours and minutes.
| Switch | How the creator stops the request |
|---|---|
| SafeKey Mobile | By responding to a request in SafeKey Mobile |
| Login | By logging in to Inheriti® |
| Click link | By clicking a link sent by email |
The sequence, step by step
- A member requests access to the continuity plan.
- The enabled switches run their countdowns, one after the other.
- The creator responds through the switch that is running: the access attempt stops there. This is the everyday case, and it costs the creator one tap, one login or one click.
- The creator stays silent until the countdowns have run out: the request continues to the remaining gates, exactly as configured. By default all enabled switches must run out first, and your organisation can change that.
Only after that do authentication and moderation start: the Dead Man Switch comes first.
An extra gate, never a shortcut
The switch adds a check, it never removes one. A continuity plan with moderation still needs its moderators to approve; the silence of the creator on its own reveals nothing.
So the worst day is covered without creating a new weak spot on every normal day.
The Dead Man Switch is managed by the plan's creator and only activates when access is requested. It is not a periodic check-in.