What does it entail exactly?
A backup is a copy of data stored on a system or network that can be used for file restoration or archiving. Backups are an essential component of a business continuity plan because they enable data protection and recovery.
To properly backup data, administrators must use one of three backup types: full, differential, or incremental, or a combination of the three. Every time a backup is performed, a full backup is created, which copies the entire system or network’s data. A differential backup copies only the data that has changed since the last full backup. Finally, an incremental backup is a backup of any changes made since the previous backup, whether that backup was full or differential.
Full backups are the most comprehensive, allowing for a faster restore procedure, but they are also the most time-consuming and costly to set up. Incremental backups are the quickest and least expensive to set up because they only include modified data, but restoring the system takes time because it requires reinstalling from multiple backups to ensure that all data is recovered. As a result, many administrators use a hybrid backup strategy that combines weekly full backups with differential and incremental backups.
What does it make a difference?
Backups are required due to the ongoing possibility of data alteration or erasure due to inadvertent deletions, malware and ransomware, natural disasters, or other occurrences. We recommend developing methods and tools for effectively backing up critical data, as well as a tried-and-true methodology for quickly recovering it. Backups protect data from destruction or manipulation, provide an efficient method of restoring deleted or corrupted information, and ensure compliance with data retention rules, which is especially important for offices that handle sensitive information.
Backups are especially important for speeding up the recovery process after malicious cyber activity, allowing a system to be restored to a stable, virus-free state while retaining the original data. Rebuilding or reimaging an infected machine from a known good backup or a fresh operating system installation is a common best practice in incident response. For example, if a network has been infected with malware, restoring systems from a clean, uninfected backup allows the system to be quickly remedied and returned to production without the time-consuming task of detecting and removing all potentially dangerous data.
What you could do
An effective backup strategy consists of six components: data classification, frequency, encryption, offline, offshore, and testing. Your employees should work with our technical team to ensure that the six backup components are addressed and the best solutions are selected. Furthermore, best practices dictate that whenever major system upgrades or changes occur, our technical staff should re-evaluate and test the backups.
- Data Classification– As part of the risk management process, you should categorize data based on its importance and sensitivity. This will assist you in determining what data should be backed up and how frequently it should be backed up. Data that is critical to operations, such as registration information, would, for example, be a high priority, and the risk management process may support using nightly full backups.
- Frequency — Determine how frequently data should be backed up using a risk management method based on the amount of data loss that would be acceptable in the event of a catastrophic failure. To determine how frequently data should be backed up, consider the amount of data that can be lost (for example, 24 hours’ worth). When making this decision, keep your data classification in mind. Data deemed critical should be backed up more frequently than data deemed less important. Consider whether you want to back up everything every time or just the most recent data added to the system.
- Encrypted– To ensure data integrity, backups should be encrypted. If an unauthorized person tries to access the backup, having it encrypted protects it.
- Offline – Keeping backups offline reduces the risk of malware infecting the copies. Some viruses, such as ransomware, will look for backups on the network to make the recovery process more difficult.
- Offsite – Determine where the backups will be stored and how frequently they will be updated. According to industry best practices, backups should be stored offsite to ensure recovery in the event of a disaster such as a fire or flooding. Offsite backups could be physical copies or cloud-based backups. The backup location is critical to the recovery process and must be both secure and easily accessible. Keep in mind that the accessibility of your backup is directly related to your recovery objective (how quickly you need the data restored).
- Tested– A successful restoration necessitates testing the integrity of the backup as well as the ability to restore a system from the backup. This ensures that if a disaster occurs, the backups will be able to restore what has been lost or corrupted.
