How secure is your Back up Solution & is it GDPR compliant?
What is a backup and why is it important?
The Importance of Data Backup. You need to protect your business data. Data backup and data recovery are important parts of running a business. Business owners realize three things quickly: all computer systems crash; all human error; and disasters happen when least expected or are least prepared for them.
According to new research, there are millions of UK businesses who could be at risk of losing their data due to weak backup practices and even worryingly non-existent backup altogether.
Businesses who fail to follow best practices to protect their data against hardware failure or cyber attacks are at risk and will cause huge implications to their business such as loss of customers, revenue and GDPR fines for non-compliance.
Worryingly a survey showed that around 17% of those interviewed do not back up their business data at all, this figure is more aimed at businesses of under 10 people, around 20% and 10% say they keep no back-ups at all, and this figure reduces to 2% for medium businesses of between 50 to 249 employees.
Most common SME business back up solutions
- On-site – USB external hard drive, which will have some form of windows back up software.
- Typically businesses and organisations can have around 5 of these to over-write them every day Monday through Friday.
- Off-site – Some form of Cloud back up which there are many to choose from, e.g. Databunker & IDrive.
Both on site and off site back up provide advantages and disadvantages, both are equally good options and businesses are well advised to have both in place as a back up to retrieve their data.
On-site back up is quick and easy to do each day, this process involves manpower internally to action this on a daily basis at the end of each day, an off-site back up option is performed automatically in a timed set-up around 6 pm each day.
Typically external hard drives which are swapped out daily can range from 250GB to 8TB in capacity which will plug into the business server on site performed by a member of staff.
When using external hard drives if there is a problem that day, data can be easily and quickly restored.
With a cloud back up option not only is it done automatically for businesses it is a secure, robust option with security encryption for GDPR compliance, but the only downside is also that It can take up to 48 hours to retrieve your data.
Many businesses use as an example Databunker, this is charged at around £50 per server per month with UNLIMITED DATA BACK UP.
Databunker is extremely popular with businesses due to its security, cost and capabilities to retrieve data. This can only be bought directly through reseller channels and we are one of only a few who are authorised to sell this in the UK.
Since the GDPR legislation came in place earlier this year it is crucial for businesses to ensure their business back-up is secure and robust.
Essentially you must ensure that whatever business back-up solution you chose it now must be GDPR compliant. For example, Small businesses running Windows 10 home operating systems cannot connect to a business domain, and they do not have inbuilt bit-locker encryption.
The following comes directly from the GDPR act;
(c) the ability to restore the availability and access to personal data in a timely manner in the event of a physical or technical incident;
(d) a process for regularly testing, assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of technical and organisational measures for ensuring the security of the processing.
If you are unsure if you have a stable GDPR compliant backup solution which is secure for your business/organisation and are thinking of alternative options or would just like an impartial point of view, do not hesitate to give TIVA a call for an informal chat on tel:- 01252 350690.