In our always-on world, where data is king, the constant emergence of cyberthreats such as ransomware means a data backup strategy should be a central part of your modus operandi. But it’s not just preparedness to protect your corporate data from cybercrime, data backups ready your business to handle most threats to business continuity. For example, take the recent (and ongoing) natural disasters such as the flooding that continues to wreak havoc in businesses in Queensland and New South Wales or the bushfires that present an ongoing threat every summer.
It also comes as no comfort to learn that cyberthreats and natural disasters aside, according to World Backup Day, 29% of lost data cases are caused by accident.
Data backups are critical to business continuity
Protecting data from hardware failures, human error, cyberattacks, and natural disasters, backing up data is an essential part of business continuity planning. No matter your company’s size and scale – whether you’re a large organisation, mid-size enterprise, or a small business and managing your IT infrastructure in-house or with external partners, a data backup strategy is essential for keeping your business up and running despite what comes your way.
Along with an action plan, having a data backup strategy makes it easier to restore lost, stolen, or compromised files. Without a regular backup saved to a safe location, recovering data gets so much harder. And as not every piece of data is created equal, part of your backup strategy allows you to prioritise your data in terms of its importance. Typically, databases sit at the top of this list, followed by your accounts information, HR data, customer relationship management data, and your email and other documents.
Backing up mobile data
When backing up data, it’s important to include the data on your company’s mobile devices. Routine backups of mobile data help minimise any data loss in the event of a breach. Rather than managing this process manually, modern EMM tools ease how you to monitor, manage, and secure the data on your employees’ mobile devices. In the event of a disaster, using Mobile Device Management software makes it easier to deploy and equip replacement systems, as long as backups are maintained externally.
While backing up data is not the most interesting of tasks to devote your time, it’s important to remember that there’s a staggering number of businesses that are crippled every year through lost data. And even if your corporate data is being backed up regularly and your documents are secure, if it’s not done daily, there may be gaps in the data you have available for recovery.
World Backup Day - 31 March
So put a note in your schedule on 31 March for World Backup Day and use this time to doublecheck your backup schedules for customer databases, operating systems, registry files, and machine images.
For more information on backing up data, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has prepared a range of materials and content aimed at businesses and individuals. You can also continue reading our security blog and download our helpful resource: A CEO's Guide to Mobile Data Security.
