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Back up for safety

Last updated 9 March 2023

As a business owner, backing up your devices is essential. It can be a lifesaver if you accidentally delete a document or encounter a cyberattack.

World Backup Day (31 March) is just around the corner and is a good opportunity to check that all your work devices are backed up properly.

A backup is a copy of your digital information that's stored and can be used if you need to restore lost data. These copies are usually kept on a physical device (such as an external hard drive) or in the cloud (a virtual storage system).

Securely backing up your devices can prevent you from losing important information in the case of a cyber incident. The more frequently you backup, the more protected you'll be.

Backups are still vulnerable to cyber threats if you don't protect them correctly. Here are our top 5 tips for securing your backups:

  1. Disconnect your backup when you're not using it. If your device gets infected, any connected device can be infected too.
  2. Keep an offline version of your backup on an external hard drive.
  3. Keep your offline back up at a different location from your device so if there's a natural disaster or theft, your information is still safe.
  4. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for cloud backups. The extra layer of protection will keep your backups safe.
  5. Physically protect your backups. A locked storage cabinet will do the trick, as will encrypting your device with a strong and unique password.

If you're using a shared network, make sure only administrative accounts have access to backups of accounts. It's also crucial to test your backups regularly to make sure they work.

More information about backups and storage options is available on the Australian Cyber Security Centre websiteExternal Link.

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