A backup needs a recovery test

A successful backup notification does not prove your business can recover. Files, databases, and applications must be restorable when hardware fails, mistakes happen, or ransomware strikes.

• Identify what matters. Decide how much recent data you can afford to lose and how quickly work must resume.
• Protect separate copies. Include offsite and offline copies, restrict access, and encrypt stored backups.
• Test realistic recovery. Restore sample files and test the systems they depend on. Record the time taken and resolve any failures.

One action today: Restore an important file to a safe test location and check that it opens correctly.

Source: NCSC New Zealand — Implement and test backups