Cybersecurity Glossary
Backup
A separate copy of your data that you can restore when the original is lost, corrupted or encrypted.
What Backup means
A useful backup is defined by three things: what it covers, how far back it goes, and how quickly it can be restored. Synchronisation tools such as file sync are not backups, because a deletion or an encryption event synchronises too. Cloud services need backing up as well; their retention is short and it is not designed for recovery from an attack.
Why Backup matters for small businesses and nonprofits
Backup is the control that turns a ransomware incident from a catastrophe into a bad week. It only works if someone has actually restored from it, which is where most organisations discover the gap.
What to do about Backup
- Follow the three copies, two media, one offsite pattern
- Include Microsoft 365 and any other cloud application in scope
- Restore something every quarter and record how long it took
Not sure where you stand on this?
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