Which practice best describes how backups should be protected and tested?

• A. Encrypt backups, store securely, and perform regular restoration tests to verify integrity.
• B. Disable backups to minimize risk.
• C. Store backups on public networks for quick access.
• D. Back up data only weekly.

Answer: (A)

Backups must be protected and proven recoverable. Encrypting backups protects data at rest and during transfer, so even if the backup copy is accessed by an unauthorized party, the data remains unreadable. Storing backups securely means using a dedicated, access-controlled repository and applying strong authentication and least-privilege practices to prevent tampering or theft. Regular restoration tests verify that you can actually recover the data from the backups, check the integrity of the backup sets, and confirm that recovery procedures work as expected. This helps ensure that the backup process meets recovery objectives and isn’t just a stored copy that cannot be restored.

Disabling backups eliminates protection entirely, which is why it’s not appropriate. Storing backups on public networks exposes them to greater risk, even with other controls, making this option unsuitable. Backing up only weekly can leave you vulnerable to significant data loss if a incident occurs between backups, so it doesn’t meet typical protection and recovery needs.