Acronis: despite growing attacks, only a quarter of IT administrators test data recovery at least once a month

Acronis presented the results of a local survey that found only 27% of IT administrators test data recovery from backup at least once a month, even though most of them are experiencing more cyber attacks than a year ago. The survey was conducted in April 2022 among vendors of ZEBRA SYSTEMS, the Acronis reseller in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Southeast Europe.

The survey revealed that while more than 90% of administrators back up their customers at least once a day, as many as 46% test these backups once a year or not at all. However, cyber-attacks are only one cause of potential data loss. Human error, systems failure, cyber attack are still the most common reasons, and some users have to deal with lost or stolen devices as well. In all cases, the key is to recover data as quickly as possible to keep downtime to a minimum.

Highlights of the survey findings include:

• 62% of administrators said human error was the most common reason for data loss, 54% cited system failure and 44% cited a cyber attack. Only 8% have lost their data with a stolen or lost device.
• 18% see a significant increase in the frequency of cyber attacks, 55% a slight increase and 27% see the same level as a year ago.
• 5% of IT administrators test recovery from backup at least weekly, 22% monthly, 27% quarterly, and 27% annually. 19% of administrators do not test at all
• 92% of IT administrators back up at least once a day.

“Today, we can hardly find an organization that does not back up its data at least once a week, but backing up is only the first half of the process,” said Aleš Hok, Sales Director at ZEBRA SYSTEMS. “The second half represents the process of restoring them and, as they say in football terminology, you have to play until the end of the match and the result is valid only after the final whistle. In other words, those who don’t test their backups regularly and often can get a goal in the last minute and end up in the losers’ box just like those who don’t back up at all.”