World Backup Day underscores importance of Australian data protection

Sunday, March 31st, marks World Backup Day, an annual reminder of the critical need for comprehensive data protection strategies for both individual Australians and businesses. The event highlights the potentially catastrophic effects of data loss and theft, reinforcing the importance of strategic cybersecurity measures, including robust ransomware recovery.

Pete Murray, Managing Director ANZ at Veritas Technologies, stresses the importance of this event, stating: "close your eyes and think about how much data you have accumulated on your devices over the course of a year. Now imagine that same data generation, but on a business-scale."

Murray's point is clear regarding escalating cybersecurity threats. He refers to the Australian Signals Directorate, which dealt with more than 1,100 cyber security incidents in the 2022-2023 period, 10% of which involved ransomware.

As per Murray's insights, this World Backup Day stands as a crucial reminder of the need for data protection. He espouses the viewpoint that a "strong data backup and ransomware recovery strategy is a must-have if leaders are to keep the lights on and protect critical data in the case of a cyber attack." Murray advocates for thorough forethought and precision in creating and maintaining data protection strategies against potential cyber threats.

Pete Murray shared his top three tips for evaluating and bolstering data protection strategy:

First, he argues for the need to build an integrated data security ecosystem. Murray advises against 'patchwork defences' as the multiple touchpoints represent many opportunities for vulnerabilities. Instead, he urges the unity of data protection, security, and governance to achieve 'gap-free cyber resilience.'

Second, he warns against over-reliance on the cloud, debunking the assumption that "cloud infrastructure equals guaranteed cloud security." He clarifies that while cloud service providers are accountable for the resilience of the cloud, organisations are themselves responsible for resilience in the cloud. Assessing, protecting, and recovering your data remains an individual responsibility.

Finally, he champions autonomous data management. He asserts, "In today's complex, heterogeneous, multi-cloud environments, real-time manual protection is no longer possible in effectively managing the proliferation of applications and data." Investing in AI and hyper-automation tools for self-provisioning and optimisation can help reduce operational complexity.

This World Backup Day, Australians are urged to reassess their current data security measures, taking advantage of expert insights to ensure their critical information is fully protected against cyber threats. With preparedness and vigilance, businesses and individuals alike can ensure this World Backup Day is a day of reassurance rather than a close call.