Question: Are endpoint and workload backups performed regularly and verified for integrity and restoration?
Why This Matters
Ransomware and hardware failures can cripple operations. Verified backups ensure business continuity and evidence retention, supporting recovery within acceptable time objectives.
Maturity
0 — Unaware
No systematic backups; rely on user copies.
No systematic backups; rely on user copies.
1 — Ad Hoc
Manual backups on external drives without verification.
Manual backups on external drives without verification.
2 — Defined
Centralized backup policy; schedule implemented for key systems.
Centralized backup policy; schedule implemented for key systems.
3 — Managed
Automated backups; integrity and restore tests quarterly.
Automated backups; integrity and restore tests quarterly.
4 — Integrated
Immutable storage and off-site replication; monitoring dashboards.
Immutable storage and off-site replication; monitoring dashboards.
5 — Optimized
Automated verification, anomaly detection, and air-gapped resilience.
Automated verification, anomaly detection, and air-gapped resilience.
How to Level Up
| From → To | Actions |
|---|---|
| 0 → 1 | Identify critical data; schedule basic backups to removable media. |
| 1 → 2 | Adopt automated daily backups for endpoints and workloads. |
| 2 → 3 | Verify restores quarterly; maintain central logs. |
| 3 → 4 | Implement off-site or cloud replication with immutability. |
| 4 → 5 | Integrate backup health alerts into SOC and incident response. |
Enablers
- People: IT admin, BCP coordinator.
- Process: Backup frequency, verification log, retention schedule.
- Technology: Backup software, WORM storage, monitoring dashboard.
Evidence
- Backup policy and retention logs.
- Proof of restore tests.
- Integrity check reports.
KPIs
- Backup success rate %.
- Time to restore (RTO).
- Last verified restore date.
Low-Cost / Open-Source Options (MSME)
| Purpose | Tool | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Endpoint backup | Veeam Agent Free / Duplicati | Automated file-level backups. |
| Server backup | Restic / BorgBackup | Encrypted incremental backups. |
| Verification | Hashdeep / Cron jobs | Scheduled checksum validation. |
Common Pitfalls
- Backups on same system or network share.
- Unverified restore processes.
- No encryption of backup media.
Compliance Mapping
| Standard | Clauses / Notes |
|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 27001:2022 | A.8.13 (Backup) |
| CERT-In 2022 | Section 12 (Data Backup & Restoration) |
| DPDP Act 2023 | Sec 9 (Data Safeguards & Retention) |
| NIST CSF 2.0 | PR.IP-04 / RC.RP-01 |
| NIRMATA Mapping | EP-Q09 anchors business-continuity evidence. |