How to Avoid Disaster Recovery Mistakes
The vast majority of companies today are not tech companies. They may integrate a great deal of technology, but the actual purpose of the company will not have anything to do with computers or cybersecurity. You need a robust IT infrastructure, security, and a fully backed-up disaster recovery plan. This leads many businesses to rely completely on their internal or outsourced IT team.
It’s natural to rely on your IT services to handle the technical stuff. After all, that’s what they do. However, just as you can’t give your accountants free rein over business finances without occasional audits, it is dangerous to trust your IT team implicitly. Unsupervised freedom without proper precautions can give an IT team too much control.
A single mistake or overlooked detail could put your entire tech infrastructure and data recovery abilities at risk. Let’s look at the four most common disaster recovery mistakes a company can make and how to avoid them.
Failing to Test Backups and Recovery Capabilities
Disaster recovery relies on backups. These are compressed copies of your files, database, website, and network infrastructure. If your data is compromised, the recovery process uses these backups to restore it.
However, backups can be damaged like any other data. If your most recent backup was interrupted or did not save properly, your company will be unprotected. It is also possible that the backups will not integrate back into your system as planned.
This is why it is vital to test your backups regularly. At least once a year, run a recovery test. This confirms that your backups can restore your company data in the event of a loss.
Not Training Employees in Cybersecurity
Data can corrupt and be lost on its own, but the leading cause of data disasters is malware and hacker infiltration. The leading cause of ransomware and hacker infiltration is employee mistakes. Visiting risky websites, downloading infected files, and falling for phishing emails are common ways employees can compromise your network.
Access granted to employees through portals and logins is a favorite way for hackers to gain access to company data. No matter how powerful your firewall is, employee cybersecurity training is essential. Train your employees to avoid dangerous websites, downloads, and emails. Secure their passwords on every device to prevent hackers from using internal access points to infect your network.
Never Verifying with Your IT Team
It’s easy to tell your IT team to handle disaster recovery and security, then assume it’s taken care of. Managers and C-level execs often check in with other departments because they understand what to look for. However, with IT, if you don’t know what your IT team is doing, it’s hard to provide oversight.
No matter how capable your IT team is, they need their systems and solutions verified. Complete free rein isn’t useful because their mistakes will go unchecked. Verify your security, backups, and disaster recovery methods. Perform penetration tests and recovery tests to confirm everything is working as it should.
No Documentation on Recovery Process
Many people don’t realize that documentation is a major weakness in the IT industry. Documentation includes an outline of your IT infrastructure, an explanation of protective implementations, and instructions on how to implement the recovery process if the initial plan designer is not present.
Does your company have network and recovery plan documentation? If not, you risk not being able to use the technical solutions you have for protection. Ensure your team documents your network infrastructure, cybersecurity steps, backup system, and disaster recovery plan.
By understanding the mistakes that have been costly to other businesses, you can better protect your company from under-managed IT security and recovery risks. The ideal solution is to work with a cybersecurity third party. They can help with data verifications, security auditing, and penetration testing. For more information on improving and maintaining your company’s cybersecurity and disaster recovery plan, contact us today!
