More than 60% of IT decision makers have had to recover data from a backup with nearly 1/4 unable to make full recovery

Surge in automated backups to central and personal repositories indicates movement in the right direction

POWAY, NC, UNITED STATES, September 11, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Apricorn¹, the leading manufacturer of software-free, 256-bit AES XTS hardware-encrypted USB drives, today announced findings from third party research among IT security decision makers in the U.S. The research delved into the state of data backup and the ability of organizations to recover in the event of a cyber attack.

Far more than half of IT decision makers had to turn to backups to recover data, highlighting the urgency of implementing more effective data backup strategies to ensure rapid recovery. Of those who needed to recover their data, 63% were able to do so successfully but nearly a quarter (23%) were only able to partially recover their data/documents. A smaller 3% were unsuccessful because they did not have robust backup processes in place, demonstrating the need for continued enhancement in storage and backup solutions to ensure complete recovery post-breach.

Notably, the survey also found that nearly 12% of respondents acknowledged their current backup systems are not sufficiently robust to allow rapid recovery from any attack. Though this emphasizes the critical need for these organizations to make further improvements to safeguard their data and operations, it also attests to a greater sense of awareness of backup best practices. The fact that so many have been able to recover also underscores a commitment to recovery strategies.

“Cyber-attacks are an ‘if’ not a ‘when’ situation so businesses and organizations must have well thought out backup strategies that help them when an attack happens,” said Kurt Markley, Managing Director Americas at Apricorn. “For the nearly 25% that could only recover part of their data from a backup, more work is needed to ensure robust backup systems are in place to preserve complete and accurate copies of data.”

To that end, the research found many respondents are taking steps to create strong backup protocols. More than 40% back up data to both central and personal repositories, indicating that the message about the importance of multiple backup locations and the benefits of automated backups is resonating within the industry.

“We’re pleased to see organizations automating backups and storing data in more than one location, but it’s critical that get more aggressive and employ the 3-2-1 rule. This is a simple but effective practice that calls for storing three copies of data, on at least two different media, with at least one being offsite,” continued Markley. “Ideally, organizations will take this a step further and keep one copy of their data offline on an encrypted removable hard drive that can be disconnected from the network. We are confident that with this approach, more organizations will be able to fully recover their data.”

The survey also shows the prioritization of backup policies as a critical component of cybersecurity strategies. A striking 58% of respondents consider robust backup policies as the most important factor for meeting cyber insurance compliance. This reflects a growing awareness of the high stakes involved and the role of comprehensive backup solutions in mitigating risks and securing insurance coverage.

Methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide with 604 UK and U.S. IT security decision makers (manager level +) of large companies in both countries between May 7, 2024 – May 10,2024. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles and are members of The British Polling Council.
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About Apricorn
Apricorn provides secure storage innovations to the most prominent companies in the categories of finance, healthcare, education, and government throughout North America and EMEA. Apricorn products have become the trusted standard for a myriad of data security strategies worldwide. Founded in 1983, numerous award-winning products and patents have been developed under the Apricorn brand as well as for a number of leading computer manufacturers on an OEM basis.

Sarah Hawley
Origin Communications
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¹ http://www.apricorn.com/