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Read articleAlmost every organization we audit has some kind of backup. Far fewer can restore a critical server quickly when something goes wrong. Ransomware, a failed disk array, an accidental deletion or a fire in the server room all end the same way: the business stops until the data is back.
What is the 3-2-1 rule?
- 3 copies of your data — the production data plus two backups.
- 2 different types of storage — for example a local NAS and cloud object storage, so a single failure cannot destroy both.
- 1 copy off-site — physically separate from your office or data center.
Today we recommend extending it to 3-2-1-1-0: one copy should be immutable or offline (it cannot be changed or deleted, even by an administrator account), and there should be zero errors in regular restore tests.
Why ransomware changes everything
Modern ransomware does not only encrypt servers — attackers look for backup consoles and delete or encrypt backups first. If your backup storage is joined to the same domain and reachable with the same admin passwords, it will be lost together with production. Immutable storage, separate credentials, MFA on the backup console and network segmentation are what make backups survive a real attack.
Checklist for your business
- List your critical systems: ERP and accounting, file servers, email, databases.
- Define how much data you can afford to lose (RPO) and how long you can be offline (RTO).
- Choose backup frequency and retention based on those numbers.
- Keep at least one copy off-site and one copy immutable.
- Use separate accounts and MFA for backup management.
- Monitor every job and alert on failures.
- Test a full restore at least quarterly — and document the procedure.
A backup that has never been restored is only a hope, not a plan.
CySec designs and operates backup and disaster recovery solutions — from a 3-2-1 strategy and immutable storage to a complete disaster recovery site and business continuity plan.