Data security

Nowadays, most people store their photos, contacts and other important data on a smartphone, tablet or computer. If damage or technical problems occur, it quickly becomes clear just how important regular and well-organised data backups are.

Most of us store important data, such as photos, appointments and contacts, on our smartphones, tablets or computers. But what happens if you lose your smartphone, your computer is hacked or your tablet develops a technical defect? You would try to remember when you last carried out a backup and what data might now be lost. The true value of backing up your data – or the consequences of not doing so – often only becomes apparent when such an incident occurs. Many users only back up their data occasionally or do not do so consistently enough. You should therefore consider what data you need to back up and how often. Make regular backups and automate this process as much as possible. You should also consider where and how you will store the data.

• Regular data backups

  You should back up your data regularly and save them offline on an external storage device, such as an external hard drive. Once the backup process is complete, disconnect the storage device from the computer. If the storage device remains connected, the backed-up data can be encrypted and rendered unusable in the event of a ransomware attack. Ideally, regular data backups should become part of your routine and should always be carried out at the same time to ensure reliability and that up-to-date data is available in case of an emergency.

  A data backup is only useful if it is actually available and readable when needed.

  Note the following points:

  • Store backup media somewhere safe from damage.
  • If possible, do not store backup copies in the immediate vicinity of your computer.
  • Take into account risks such as fire, water damage and theft.
  • Check your backups regularly to ensure they are complete and readable.
  • Test the recovery of individual files at regular intervals.

• Practise recovery

  Recovering data isn't always easy. You should therefore practise recovering backups before you actually need to do so in an emergency. This way, you’ll be prepared and able to act quickly and confidently when the time comes.

• The 3-2-1 backup rule

  The NCSC recommends the 3-2-1 backup rule to back up your data reliably:

  • Make 3 copies of your data: the original and two backup copies.
  • Use 2 different storage media, such as a computer, an external hard drive, a central server (Network Attached Storage, NAS), or cloud storage.
  • Store 1 copy off-site in a different location to prevent data being lost as a result of local incidents or site-specific failures.

• Cloud storage

  Many people no longer store their data locally, but in the cloud. The advantage of this is that you can access your data from anywhere and on multiple devices, and your data are often backed up by the cloud provider. This means that you do not need to worry about the hardware or the administration of data backups. However, there are security concerns regarding data protection and unauthorised access. You also no longer have control over your data or the service provider. It is also important to bear in mind that cloud services provide only limited protection against ransomware attacks. If your data are stored exclusively in the cloud, they may be encrypted in the event of an attack. Protection depends primarily on whether the cloud service provider offers the option to revert to previous versions and whether access to this feature is subject to additional security measures, such as two-factor authentication.

  Cloud services are a matter of trust. Therefore, you should consider in advance what data you wish to store in the cloud and what level of security the cloud service provides.

Further information

• Windows 11
  "File History" is a backup feature that comes installed by default.. Instructions from Microsoft
• Apple
  To create backups on your Mac, use the “‘Time Machine’” feature built into macOS. Instructions from Apple
• Android
  To back up data on an Android device, you can use Google One.
• Samsung devices
  To back up data on a Samsung device, use Samsung Cloud, which is built into Samsung devices.

Backups: Ihre Rettungsleine - Cybersicherheit ist S-U-P-E-R.ch (German, French and Italian)