A server misconfiguration led to over 19,000 NFT images from the Clone X NFT collection to go missing temporarily last week. The Clone X collection includes 20,000 extraterrestrial avatar clones, a partnership between RTFKT and Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. The mishap was due to an unexpected early transition to a free Cloudflare plan. Further, it highlights the challenges and risks associated with the storage and handling of NFTs.

>The Clone X collection is a supercharged collab between RTFKT, pronounced artifact, and cultural icon Takashi Murakami. Onboarding more artists through the collection has opened the impact space NFT door wider. In December 2021, sportwear giant Nike purchased RTFKT for an undisclosed amount. One aspect that sets Clone X apart is that its collection exceeded $1 billion in secondary market sales. At their height, Clone X NFTs sold for more than $1 million apiece. These NFTs now are for sale for an average of $300 per NFT. The RTFKT site calls the Clone X collection a nexus of physical art, digital identity, and creative expression.

RTFKT no longer exists as a company. As Samuel Cardillo explained in this post, the Clone X collection had mostly migrated to Arweave, a decentralized storage network. This migration aimed to ensure the NFTs' long-term preservation and prevent future data loss. An unusual Cloudflare configuration error undid these measures with tragic results.

The issue came up when Cloudflare started canceling moves to a free plan before they were due. RTFKT had been operating on a paid Cloudflare plan, but Cardillo had set it up to move to a free plan. This change unintentionally had the effect of making 19,000 NFT images temporarily unavailable.

Of course the NFTs were removed for only a few hours and no substantive damage was done, but that’s not the point. As restoration took place, the NFT ecosystem couldn’t help but be reminded of the need for strong backup and recovery systems. It reinforces the dangers of putting our critical infrastructure in the hands of vulnerable, centralized services.

The move to Arweave will help protect Clone X NFTs from these types of snatching incidents in the future. Additionally, Arweave’s decentralized approach means that data is stored on numerous nodes, decreasing the likelihood of single points of failure. This combined approach strives to offer more resilient and permanent storage solutions for NFTs across the board.

This unfortunate event is a stark example of the difficulties, intricacies, and overall murky waters that come with the management and preservation of digital assets. The NFT space is an incredibly exciting place for artists and collectors. Success in this new frontier requires a laser focus on its infrastructure and security. The brief disappearance of the Clone X images underscores the need for robust, decentralized storage solutions to ensure the long-term viability of NFTs.