When your business suffers a ransomware attack, having reliable backups is critical to restoring your data and getting operations back on track. But what if your backups fail at this crucial moment? Backup failure during a ransomware incident means you may not be able to recover your files, which can lead to extended downtime, loss of important data, and increased costs.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
For many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, downtime directly impacts revenue, staff productivity, and customer trust. If your backups are corrupted, incomplete, or inaccessible, you face the risk of permanent data loss or having to pay the ransom to cybercriminals. This also raises compliance concerns under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, as you must demonstrate you took reasonable steps to protect personal data. Failing to recover data promptly can lead to regulatory scrutiny and damage your reputation.
A typical scenario
Consider a UK-based SME with around 50 employees that falls victim to ransomware. Their IT provider had scheduled daily backups, but the ransomware also infected the backup system, making the backup files unusable. Without a clean backup, the business faced weeks of downtime while rebuilding systems from scratch. A proactive IT partner would have maintained isolated, offsite backups and tested recovery procedures regularly, enabling a faster restoration and minimising disruption.
Practical steps to reduce risk
- Ask your IT provider: How often are backups performed and tested? Are backups stored offline or offsite to prevent ransomware spread?
- Review backup SLAs: Check recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO) to ensure they meet your business needs.
- Perform internal checks: Verify access controls on backup systems, ensure multi-factor authentication (MFA) is enabled, and confirm backups are encrypted and protected from unauthorised changes.
- Test restore procedures: Regularly schedule test restores of backup data to confirm backups are complete and functional.
- Maintain layered security: Use endpoint protection, email filtering, and user training to reduce ransomware risk alongside robust backups.
Next steps
If you're unsure about the reliability of your backups or your ability to recover from a ransomware attack, it's wise to consult a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can assess your current backup and disaster recovery arrangements, help implement best practices aligned with UK security standards, and support your business continuity planning without unnecessary complexity or cost.