When you restore data from a backup, you expect it to be complete and usable. However, sometimes the backup itself can contain corrupted files—files that are damaged, incomplete, or unreadable. This means that if you rely on that backup to recover after a data loss event, you might end up restoring faulty or unusable information, which can cause further disruption.
Why corrupted backups matter for UK SMEs
For small and medium-sized businesses, corrupted backups can lead to unexpected downtime, loss of critical business information, and delays in returning to normal operations. This can harm staff productivity and damage customer trust, especially if you hold sensitive personal data covered by UK GDPR or the Data Protection Act 2018. Additionally, if your business needs to demonstrate compliance with Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001, having reliable, intact backups is an essential part of your audit trail and risk management.
A typical scenario
Imagine a UK-based SME with around 50 employees that uses managed IT services for backup and disaster recovery. After a ransomware attack, they attempt to restore their systems from backups. Unfortunately, some files are corrupted due to a previous unnoticed hardware fault on the backup server. Their IT partner identifies the issue by running backup integrity checks and restores an earlier, clean version of the data. This avoids prolonged downtime and helps the business meet ICO expectations for data availability and security.
Practical steps to manage and avoid corrupted backups
- Ask your IT provider: Do they perform regular backup integrity and restore tests? How often? Can they provide reports?
- Check backup storage: Are backups stored in multiple locations or using cloud services with redundancy?
- Review backup schedules: Are backups frequent enough to minimise data loss, and do they cover all critical systems?
- Verify access controls: Who can modify or delete backups? Ensure strict permissions and use multi-factor authentication (MFA) where possible.
- Request documentation: Confirm your provider has clear disaster recovery procedures that include handling corrupted backups.
- Test your backups: Periodically perform your own restore tests to verify data integrity and usability.
- Maintain hardware and software: Ensure backup servers and storage devices are regularly maintained and updated to reduce corruption risks.
Next steps
Reliable backups are a cornerstone of business resilience. If you're unsure about the integrity of your current backup arrangements or want to improve your disaster recovery readiness, it's sensible to discuss your needs with a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can help you assess risks, implement best practices, and ensure your backups support your business continuity and compliance goals.