---
description: Learn how slashing protection works in Web3Signer.
sidebar_position: 2
---

> For AI agents: a documentation index is available at [/llms.txt](/llms.txt). Append `.md` to any documentation URL to get the markdown source.


# Slashing protection

Slashing refers to penalties that are applied to consensus layer validators that sign conflicting
blocks or attestations.

Web3Signer provides slashing protection to prevent validators from signing blocks and attestations
based on what it knows has already been signed.
A slashing protection database records each block and attestation signed by a validator.

Slashing protection is enabled by default, and you are responsible for [creating and maintaining]
the required PostgreSQL database, or you can disable slashing protection by setting
[`--slashing-protection-enabled`](../reference/cli/subcommands.md#slashing-protection-enabled) to `false`.

:::info

Web3Signer only supports PostgreSQL for creating the slashing protection database.

:::

Multiple Web3Signer instances can connect to the same slashing protection database.
Database locking ensures that if Web3signer instances load the same keys, only one Web3signer
instance actually signs.

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[creating and maintaining]: ../how-to/configure-slashing-protection.md