World Backup Day: How individuals can better secure their data| Interview

As we celebrate World Backup day, experts explain why backing up your digital data is crucial and what is the best way to do it.

World Backup Day, celebrated on March 31, seeks to raise awareness of the importance of routinely storing up your digital data. There has never been a greater risk of missing critical data due to technology failure, malware, or accidental deletion, as more people than ever rely on digital devices and services for business, education, and recreation. World Backup Day serves as a warning to take the necessary measures to protect digital assets and ensure that it is possible to restore lost data. (ALSO READ: Data loss halts processing of online public services)

World Backup day is observed on March 31. (Photo by Joshua Mayo on Unsplash)

Hindustan Times spoke to Dr. Sanjay Katkar, joint managing director and chief technical officer of Quick Heal Technologies, a cybersecurity software company, and Priya Ranjan Panigrahy, founder and chief executive of CEPTES, a global Salesforce service provider, to learn why data backup is important and what the best practises are.

How would you describe the significance of World Backup Day, and why is it important for individuals and organizations to observe it?

Katkar: With the increasing reliance on remote work and cloud-based data storage, World Backup Day is a timely reminder for individuals and organizations to evaluate their backup procedures and adopt the best practices to safeguard against data loss. It is indeed crucial as it raises awareness about the importance of data protection and privacy while serving as a reminder for individuals and organizations to implement backup and recovery solutions.

In your opinion, what are some common misconceptions people have about data backup and protection?

Panigrahy: Out of many one of the most common misconceptions that people have about data backup is, they think it is not their responsibility rather it is the duty of the app or platform they are using to protect their data. But in reality, it is your data, so you need to protect it by yourself.

What are some common reasons for data loss, and how can individuals and businesses take proactive measures to safeguard their critical data against such incidents?

Katkar: Protecting critical data is of utmost importance for individuals and businesses alike. To safeguard against data loss, it is essential to take proactive measures such as regularly backing up data, using reliable hardware components, implementing access controls, testing backups, and training employees on data security best practices.

With the increasing amount of data being generated and stored digitally, how to properly backup data? Are there any emerging technologies or trends that you think will play a significant role in this area?

Panigrahy: With the increasing amount of data being generated & stored, the best way to backup data is to have a cloud data backup application that can really manage a sheer volume of data with ease. A few of the things to consider are the backup data location, owning 100% control & 24/7 accessibility to the backup data.

Katkar: Encryption during backup and secure storage are essential measures. Emerging technologies like AI and machine learning can automate backup processes, detect cyberattacks, and identify vulnerabilities. Cloud-based backups offer scalability, accessibility, and security.

How can individuals and organizations take action to protect their digital estate beyond simply backing up their data? Are there any additional steps or best practices they should follow to mitigate the risk of data loss?

Katkar: Here are some key points to consider when taking action to protect your data and IT assets beyond simply backing up your data:

• Encrypt data both during transmission and at rest to make it difficult for hackers to access the data, even if they manage to steal it.
• Limit the number of backups created and ensure that they are stored securely to prevent data loss or theft.
• Implement strict access control measures and regularly train employees on cybersecurity best practices, such as using strong and unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions.
• Regularly update software and apply security patches to mitigate the risk of data loss.
• Have a disaster recovery plan in place to ensure business continuity in the event of a cyberattack or data breach.