Your data—whether it’s personal photos, essential business files, or financial records—holds immense value.
Yet, countless people underestimate how vulnerable their information is until it’s too late.
Losing files can happen to anyone: hardware failure, cyberattacks, or simple mistakes… Nobody is safe. Fortunately, backing up your data is easier than you might think!
In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know to back up your data, why it’s important, common risks people face, and a lot more.
Why You Need to Back Up Your Data
First off, let’s make the case as to why backing up your data is important.
Losing some files can range from mildly inconvenient, all the way to absolutely catastrophic.
Here are some common scenarios you might identify with:
- protecting personal memories and documents. Long gone are the days of bookshelves full of photo albums. Nowadays, everything is online. Vacation photos, digital tax forms… Your devices store irreplaceable files. If your computer crashes or your phone gets stolen, these files could disappear forever – unless you have a backup.
- as a business, data loss can be a real threat to your operations. Imagine losing customer orders, financial records, or entire project databases. Backing up ensures your company can recover quickly from setbacks.
- data backup might also be compulsory for regulatory purposes. Many industries, including healthcare and finance, require businesses to store data securely. Losing this information can lead to hefty fines or legal consequences. Proper backups help you meet these standards effortlessly.
4 Ways You Can Lose Access to Your Data Forever
There are a million ways you can lose access to your data. However, 99% of cases will fall into one of the four following buckets. Knowing which type of risk you are vulnerable to can help you choose the right backup strategy.
Equipment Failures
Storage devices like hard drives and USB sticks can break or malfunction without warning. Once that happens, recovering your files is often difficult very costly, or downright impossible. Older hard drives are especially prone to malfunctions such as failures of the read / write head and motors.
If you hear a strange buzzing noise from your computer, it might be the sign of a hard drive breathing its last moments! So if you still use an old laptop or external hard drive for storing all your family photos, it might be time to back them up.
Cyberattacks
Malware and ransomware attacks are rising, targeting both individuals and businesses. And while you might think hackers only target massive corporations, you might want to keep reading.
Small ransomwares of a couple thousand dollars are on the rise. Often, these aren’t reported in the media. But they can be catastrophic for individuals.
These attacks infect your computer and encrypt all your files. The only way to regain access to them is to pay the ransom. And because the amount is often “small” (usually under $1,700), victims usually pay up. Backups ensure you can avoid paying the ransom.
Natural Disasters
Physical destruction of your files is also a risk. Events like floods, fires, and earthquakes can destroy your devices, taking your data with them.
Off-site backups offer peace of mind in these situations.
Accidental Deletion
Finally, for the less technically inclined, accidental deletion is also a risk. Have you ever deleted a file, only to realize you needed it later? Mistakes like this are easy to make but impossible to undo without a backup.
Backup Options: Local, Cloud, or Both?
Before diving into tips, let’s break down the 2 main ways to back up your data.
Local Backups
Local backups involve saving your data on physical storage devices like external drives, USB sticks, or Network Attached Storage (NAS) systems.
Storage space is becoming cheaper every year. Over the last 15 years, the price of 1 GB of storage has dropped from around US$ 0.11 to US$ 0.014 – almost 8 times cheaper!
This means that creating your own physical backup with a dedicated drive is now possible for pretty much everyone. The advantages of this method are that you get quick access to your files, and don’t need any internet access.
On the downside, your backup will remain vulnerable to physical damage. It will also require regular updates so that it stays current with all your files and photos.
Cloud Backups
The alternative is to use a cloud service such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or Mailfence. This method relies on storing your files remotely. Remember – cloud just means somebody else’s computer.
This is especially useful for protecting against local disasters. It also means you can access your data from anywhere, all you need is an internet connection. Additionally, many of these services offer automatic syncing options.
However, you might incur a subscription cost, especially if you have a lot of data to back up. And then, there’s the question of data privacy…
Cloud storage and your right to privacy
While cloud storage offers maximum convenience for data backup, it is also a privacy nightmare.
Think about it. You are basically giving away free access to all of your most personal information.
Photos, financial documents, personal documents… All can be used to build a very detailed profile of you, and then sell you advertising. This is commonly called “surveillance capitalism”, a model where companies profit from your data.
And even if these companies don’t actively use your data, there remains the real risk of hacks and leaks.
That is why if you opt for cloud storage, choosing a privacy-oriented provider is key.
Here at Mailfence, we pride ourselves on our strong privacy principles. Our servers are based in Belgium, with strong laws protecting privacy. Only a valid Belgian court order can force us to release data.
Also, we do not use any third-party advertising or marketing trackers. We do not track your activity in the application. We will never commercialize our databases or share data with any third party for targeted advertising or any other purpose.
Interested in testing out our cloud storage solution? Create your free account today.
Of course, you can also use a mix of physical and cloud backup, combining the best of both worlds. For example, you could back up daily on an external drive and weekly to the cloud.
5 Actionable Tips to Back Up Your Data Securely
Now that you know your options, here are five simple yet effective ways to protect your data.
Tip 1: Use the 3-2-1 Rule
The 3-2-1 rule is a trusted method for data backup:
- Keep three copies of your data: the original and two backups.
- Store copies on two different types of media, like an external drive and a cloud service.
- Keep one copy off-site, such as in the cloud, to guard against disasters at home.
By diversifying where your files are stored, you reduce the risk of losing everything at once.
Tip 2: Automate Your Backups
Manually saving files is time-consuming and easy to forget. Automation ensures that backups happen regularly without effort. Many operating systems and backup software offer scheduled backups.
Tools for Automation:
- Windows Backup and Restore: Built into Windows for automatic backups.
- Time Machine: Apple’s native tool for macOS users.
- Third-Party Software: Services like Backblaze or Acronis are reliable for automating backups.
Tip 3: Choose Secure Storage Solutions
Not all storage solutions are created equal. For local storage, consider fireproof or waterproof devices to protect against accidents. For cloud services, look for providers with strong security measures, such as encryption and two-factor authentication.
What to Look For:
- End-to-End Encryption: Protects your files from unauthorized access.
- Reputable Providers: Choose platforms with a proven track record.
- Two-Factor Authentication: Adds an extra layer of security for cloud accounts.
Tip 4: Test Your Backups Regularly
Your backups are only useful if they work. Schedule time every few months to verify that your files are accessible and can be restored. This step ensures you’re not caught off guard when you need your backups the most.
Tip 5: Encrypt Your Backup Files
Encryption makes your files unreadable without a decryption key, adding an extra layer of protection. Most modern backup tools and cloud services offer built-in encryption features. For physical backups, use tools like BitLocker (Windows) or FileVault (Mac). Check out this blog post to learn more about file encryption.
Final Thought on Data Backup
That’s it for this guide on data backup. Hopefully, you found it useful, and will now be protected against any accidents and ransomware attacks!
Got any questions about cloud storage solution? Drop us a line at support@mailfence.com
