CISO Insights: The Importance of a Personal Computer Backup Plan
March 31 is World Backup Day, a perfect reminder for all of us to ensure that our personal and professional data is securely backed up.
Thankfully, at HM, IT teams work to ensure hospital and patient data is reliably backed up. But you are responsible for your personal systems and data.
Why Backing Up Data is Crucial
Our computers hold a treasure trove of valuable information, from cherished family photos and important documents to music collections and personal files. Imagine losing all of that in an instant. It’s a nightmare scenario, but loss from hardware failures, accidental deletions or cyberattacks can be easily avoided with a proper backup plan.
Regular backups ensure that you have a copy of your important files, safeguarding them from such incidents. You’ll also be able to restore your data without succumbing to the demands of cybercriminals.
What Should Be Backed Up
When creating a backup plan, it’s essential to know which files and data are most important. Here are some key items to consider:
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Personal Documents: This includes Word documents, spreadsheets, PDFs and any other files that are important for personal or professional use.
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Photos and Videos: Family photos, videos and other media files that hold sentimental value.
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Music and Media Collections: Your music library, movies and other media files.
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Emails and Contacts: Important emails and contact lists, especially if they’re not stored in the cloud.
Tips on Backup Tools
There are several tools and methods available for backing up your data.
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External hard drives are great for local backups, easy to use and provide a physical copy of your data that can be stored in a safe place. One drawback is that they can be vulnerable to physical damage or theft.
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USB flash drives are portable and convenient for backing up smaller amounts of data, ideal for quick backups of essential files.
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Cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive offer solutions that automatically sync your files to the cloud, ensuring your data is safe from physical damage and can be accessed from anywhere. But it’s important to remember this method may not protect you from ransomware attacks.
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Online backup services like Backblaze and Carbonite provide comprehensive backup solutions that automatically back up your data to the cloud, often including features like version history and file recovery.
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Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices are a great option for those who need to backup multiple devices, providing a centralized location for storing backups that can be accessed over your home network.
