Surprisingly, 87% of people back up their data, but data loss accidents continue to occur

87% backup data, yet 63% face data loss due to failures and cyberattacks.

: 87% of people back up data, motivated by fear of losing files, space constraints, and cyber threats. However, 63% still lose data from device failures, deletions, or attacks. Notable incidents include OVHcloud's fire and Colonial Pipeline's cyberattack. The 3-2-1 strategy and hybrid storage methods are recommended for effective backups.

A survey commissioned by Western Digital, timed with World Backup Day, revealed that a significant majority, 87% of the 6,118 respondents across 10 countries, actively back up their data. The motivations for this behavior are varied: 83% cite the fear of losing important files, 67% need to free up space on their devices, and 42% aim to protect against cyber threats. Nevertheless, data loss incidents remain common and frequent, with 63% of participants reporting data loss from device failures, accidental deletions, or cyberattacks.

The necessity for backups has been underscored by several high-profile cases. During the production of Toy Story 2, an error led to a major deletion of its files, highlighting vulnerabilities even when backups exist. A more recent example was the devastating fire at OVHcloud's data center in France, which resulted in a catastrophic data loss for clients without secondary backups. In the U.S., a major ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline proved the importance of having data backups, as it allowed for a swifter recovery of operations.

Despite the apparent prevalence of data backups, the practice's importance cannot be overstated. Best practices recommend the 3-2-1 backup strategy, which advocates for three data copies on two different media, with one offsite. This strategy, according to experts, provides a strong safety net against unforeseen data catastrophes. However, the survey indicated that many consumers encounter limitations with cloud services: 60% had exhausted their free storage in the past six months, prompting 56% to upgrade to paid versions.

The trend towards hybrid storage solutions, blending cloud and external local storage, is also gaining traction. This hybrid approach offers a balance of cost-efficiency and reliability, allowing for a layered security strategy. Skye Jacobs, author of the TechSpot feature, points to this shift as increasingly necessary in an era where free storage offerings are insufficient for most users' needs.

Overall, these insights stress the importance of adopting robust backup solutions to combat the risks of data loss. By learning from notable events like the OVHcloud incident and Colonial Pipeline attack, users can understand the vulnerabilities inherent in naive storage strategies and take appropriate steps to secure their digital lives.

Sources: TechSpot, Western Digital, OVHcloud, Colonial Pipeline

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