I wrote "Can you restore that backup correctly?"

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Can you restore that backup correctly?

Is it enough to just "have" a backup for peace of mind?

Are you feeling at ease just because you have a backup?
In many workplaces, the act of "taking a backup" becomes the goal itself, and what should be the most important aspect, "whether it can be restored when the time comes", is often overlooked.

In reality, when you actually try to restore, problems can occur such as files being corrupted, the necessary generation not being saved, or being unable to access it due to insufficient permissions.

Also, there are many cases where the restoration procedure is unclear and time-consuming, significantly delaying the resumption of business. A backup is not finished once it is taken; it only has meaning when you guarantee a state where it can be reliably restored.

This chart shows the results of a survey of companies that suffered ransomware damage. You can see that the majority of organizations are unable to use their backups, even though they have them.

Have you really verified that peace of mind?

Even if you are in a state where you can say "it's fine because I have a backup," has that peace of mind really been verified? In actual workplaces, there are many cases where only the backup acquisition status is checked, and restoration tests are not performed.
However, when a failure or ransomware damage actually occurs, there is no end to cases where people try to restore for the first time and fail. Whether or not it can be restored is something you won't know until you actually try.

True peace of mind lies in backing up the claim that you can "restore at any time" with verification.

A story about seeing hell even though there was a backup

Ransomware, everything stopped suddenly that day

This is a true story from my previous job. One day, everything suddenly stopped. I couldn't access the server, I couldn't open files. As I checked the situation, I discovered a ransomware infection. There was a backup. However, it was not in a state where it could be restored immediately, and unexpected responses continued, such as pulling out old environments, going through separate servers, and restoring data over the network. The restoration work did not progress as I had hoped, and the pressure of impending business suspension mounted.

Even if you have a backup, it doesn't mean you can restore it immediately. I learned that reality the hard way.

There was a backup. But I couldn't restore it to the latest state

There was a backup, but I couldn't restore it to the latest state. Some data was completely lost. Files managed individually had no backups and were completely lost.

Actually, I "thought" I had seen the errors during the backup. I judged whether it had finished correctly or not by looking at the state of the hardware when I came to work in the morning, but correctly, I should have intended confirmed that there were no errors on the management screen.

To put it even more strongly, I learned that a backup is meaningless unless you perform regular restoration tests and confirm that it can be restored correctly.

The mindset of creating a 'restorable state'

Considering backups to include 'protection design'

Backups must be considered not just as 'taking' them, but also by including 'protection' in the design. Since ransomware also targets backups, data placed with the same permissions or on the same network can easily be compromised.

This is where concepts like immutable (unchangeable) and air-gapped (isolated) become important. By creating a state where deletion or tampering is impossible and limiting the scope of an attack's impact, you can reliably protect the remaining backups when the time comes.

The final requirement is proof that it 'can be restored'

The value of a backup is only proven not by its 'existence,' but by the fact that it can be restored. However, in many workplaces, people feel relieved just by confirming that the backup was taken, and actual restoration tests are not performed. It is not at all rare for people to attempt a restoration for the first time only when a failure or ransomware attack occurs, and then fail.

What is important is to conduct regular restoration tests and maintain a state where you can confidently say 'it can be restored at any time'. That accumulation is what true 'preparedness' means.

Conclusion

First, try restoring just one familiar file as a test. The accumulation of those small successful experiences will turn panic into calm when the time comes, and will become the 'ultimate shield' that protects you and your company.

'Can you restore that Backup correctly?'

I sincerely hope that a future will come where you can answer this question with a 'yes' without any hesitation.

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