Backups push automatically; the token is only for restore

Matches the master's tokenless-push change: pushBackup no longer waits
for master_backup_token — every instance with a uuid backs up on its
own, and the 5-minute tick force-pushes so a poisoned master copy
self-heals. The token now only gates pulling a backup back (restore),
so setup-linux.sh asks for it only when restoring and the Settings
help text says so.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

app/settings/page.tsx

@@ -347,8 +347,8 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
                         <div>
                             <p className="text-sm font-medium text-slate-800">Backup token</p>
                             <p className="text-xs text-slate-400 mt-0.5">
-                                Enables encrypted settings + credentials backups to the master
-                                (its INSTANCE_BACKUP_TOKEN). Blank = backups off.
+                                Backups push automatically — this token (the master&apos;s
+                                INSTANCE_BACKUP_TOKEN) is only needed to restore one.
                             </p>
                             <p className="text-xs text-slate-400 mt-0.5">
                                 {backupStatus.at

lib/backup-sync.ts

@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@
  * instance's uuid.
  *
  * This is the deliberate exception to "credentials never leave the machine":
- * the payload goes over HTTPS to the bearer-gated /api/instances/backup and is
- * AES-encrypted at rest on the master. It never rides the unauthenticated
- * control socket.
+ * the payload goes over HTTPS to /api/instances/backup and is AES-encrypted
+ * at rest on the master. It never rides the control socket. Pushing needs no
+ * token — every instance backs up automatically once it has its uuid; only
+ * PULLING a backup back out (lib/backup-restore.ts) is token-gated, because
+ * that is the direction credentials come out in the clear.
  *
  * Push policy: on bootstrap, then every POLL_INTERVAL, but only when the
  * content actually changed (hash comparison) — plus an immediate debounced
@@ -85,19 +87,20 @@ function contentHash(payload: BackupPayload): string {
         .digest('hex');
 }
 
-function preconditions(): { masterUrl: string; id: string; token: string } | null {
+function preconditions(): { masterUrl: string; id: string } | null {
     const masterUrl = getSetting('master_dashboard_url');
-    const token = getSetting('master_backup_token');
     // No uuid yet = the master has never said welcome; there is nothing stable
-    // to key the backup by, so wait for the first hello to complete.
+    // to key the backup by, so wait for the first hello to complete. No token
+    // needed: pushes are open on the master (only PULLING a backup is
+    // token-gated), so every instance backs up automatically.
     const id = getSetting('instance_id');
-    if (!masterUrl || !token || !id) return null;
-    return { masterUrl, id, token };
+    if (!masterUrl || !id) return null;
+    return { masterUrl, id };
 }
 
 export async function pushBackup(force = false): Promise<{ ok: boolean; skipped?: boolean; error?: string }> {
     const pre = preconditions();
-    if (!pre) return { ok: false, skipped: true, error: 'master url, backup token or instance uuid not set' };
+    if (!pre) return { ok: false, skipped: true, error: 'master url or instance uuid not set' };
 
     const payload = collectBackup();
     const hash = contentHash(payload);
@@ -113,10 +116,7 @@ export async function pushBackup(force = false): Promise<{ ok: boolean; skipped?
     try {
         const res = await fetch(url, {
             method: 'PUT',
-            headers: {
-                'content-type': 'application/json',
-                authorization: `Bearer ${pre.token}`,
-            },
+            headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' },
             body: JSON.stringify({
                 id: pre.id,
                 name: getSetting('instance_name') ?? '',
@@ -151,7 +151,10 @@ export function scheduleBackupPush(): void {
 export function startBackupSync(): void {
     stopBackupSync();
     const tick = async () => {
-        await pushBackup();
+        // Forced: pushes need no token, so anyone who reaches the master and
+        // knows this uuid could overwrite our backup there. Re-asserting the
+        // real state every tick bounds that poisoning window to 5 minutes.
+        await pushBackup(true);
         // Jitter so a fleet restarting together doesn't push in lockstep.
         g.__backupSyncTimer = setTimeout(tick, POLL_INTERVAL_MS + Math.floor(Math.random() * 30_000));
     };

lib/db.ts

@@ -197,8 +197,9 @@ seedSetting.run('twocaptcha_api_key', '');
 // Blank falls back to the proxy hardcoded in app/api/autobuyer/captcha; `none`
 // solves without one.
 seedSetting.run('twocaptcha_proxy', '');
-// Bearer for pushing/pulling the encrypted settings+credentials backup on the
-// master (its INSTANCE_BACKUP_TOKEN). Blank = backups off.
+// Bearer for PULLING an encrypted settings+credentials backup back from the
+// master (its INSTANCE_BACKUP_TOKEN) — pushing needs no token and happens
+// automatically. Blank = restore unavailable from this machine's UI.
 seedSetting.run('master_backup_token', '');
 // Routes broker traffic (TopstepX, Tradovate, Yahoo quotes) through a proxy:
 // http(s):// or socks5(h)://, user:pass ok. The master link stays direct on

setup-linux.sh

@@ -86,10 +86,11 @@ read -r -p "  Master dashboard URL [$DEFAULT_MASTER]: " MASTER_URL
 MASTER_URL="${MASTER_URL:-$DEFAULT_MASTER}"
 read -r -p "  Instance name [$(hostname)]: " INSTANCE
 INSTANCE="${INSTANCE:-$(hostname)}"
-read -r -p "  Backup token (blank = no master backups): " BACKUP_TOKEN
-RESTORE_FROM=""
-if [ -n "$BACKUP_TOKEN" ]; then
-    read -r -p "  Restore a dead instance? Its uuid (blank = fresh install): " RESTORE_FROM
+# Backups push automatically; the token is only needed to pull one back.
+read -r -p "  Restore a dead instance? Its uuid (blank = fresh install): " RESTORE_FROM
+BACKUP_TOKEN=""
+if [ -n "$RESTORE_FROM" ]; then
+    read -r -p "  Backup token (the master's INSTANCE_BACKUP_TOKEN): " BACKUP_TOKEN
 fi
 echo
 info "installing to: $TARGET"