Data loss disasters come in many forms

Posted on: July 26th, 2021 onPlatinum

If we’ve learned anything from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that we don’t have it all figured out. Natural and human-made disasters and other contingencies can still cause significant damage and bring businesses to a grinding halt.

Now is the time for companies of all sizes to take steps to ensure business continuity and natural-disaster resilience. In this increasingly digitised world, backup and disaster recovery (BCDR) must be a top priority for businesses because the repercussions of even a single data loss incident could be disastrous.

Keep reading as we break down different types of data loss disasters, how to prepare for them and how to leverage BCDR to meet and maintain regulatory compliance obligations.

The many forms data loss can take

From natural disasters like hurricanes and floods to cybersecurity threats such as malware infections, data loss disasters come in many forms. Let’s analyse each type and learn how to plan and prepare for them.

Natural disasters

This covers everything from storms, hurricanes and floods to fires, tsunamis and volcano eruptions. In most cases, you can expect infrastructural damages, power failure and mechanical failures, which could then lead to data loss. 

Hardware and software malfunctioning

Software and hardware failure can cause data loss if you don’t have backup measures in place. It could be due to bugs, glitches, configuration errors, programmatic errors, component failures or simply because the device is at its end of life or the software is outdated. 

Unforeseen circumstances

Data loss can happen due to random, unexpected scenarios. For instance, a portable hard disk held by one of the employees could get stolen or your server room may have a water leak because of a plumbing issue.

Human factor

Aberdeen Research found that everyday human errors cause nearly 64% of data loss incidents.[1] These errors range from accidental file deletions and overwriting of existing files, to naming convention errors, forgetting to save or backup data, or spilling liquid on a storage device. 

Cyberthreats

Your business may fall prey to malware, ransomware and virus attacks, leaving your data irrecoverable. Additionally, data loss could be caused by malicious insiders with unauthorised access, which often goes under the radar. A recent study shows that employee action is involved in up to 23% of all electronic crime events.[2]

How to plan and prepare for data loss disasters

As you can see, data loss disasters can manifest in a wide variety of ways. The key is to be proactive and plan for these disasters. Don’t wait for disaster to strike. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Perform a business impact analysis and draft a plan on how to recover critical functions in the event of a disaster. 
• Set up a business continuity team that will take charge during a disaster.
• Train your staff in backup management and data recovery.
• Regularly back up critical business data. 
• Conduct threat analysis and define recovery steps for each threat.
• Perform frequent security audits and mock drills to review the efficiency of your disaster response.
• Keep the plan up to date and make sure everyone on the team knows their role.
• Make sure you have a remote monitoring tool.
• Employ waterless fire protection systems, moisture sensors, surge protectors and backup battery systems.

Leverage BCDR to achieve and maintain regulatory compliance obligations

Data loss prevention is not the only advantage of taking backup and disaster recovery seriously. Getting a robust BCDR solution will make it much easier for you to meet compliance obligations applicable to your business.

[1] Aberdeen research

[2] The CERT Insider Threat Center at Carnegie Mellon University