Yes, definitely backup your Microsoft 365 data.
Look, if you’ve ever lost data, you know it’s a real disruption and can be extremely costly depending on what data goes missing. Even independent consultants lose data. Everyone uses email (Microsoft Exchange) and the more you collaborate (Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft OneDrive) and work in teams (Microsoft 365 Suite) and across time zones, the higher your risk becomes for data loss, corruption, theft or ransom.
You are going to want a comprehensive backup approach for all of your Microsoft productivity apps that will enable the business to recover individual files and folders easily and securely. And you’ll need an IT Services partner who can make sure the backup is properly configured based on your needs and that of your staff. You’ll also want to make sure that access is based on predetermined permissions that follow the corporate policies & procedures.
While Microsoft 365 does provide some good backup tools, they don’t protect against common threats:
- Human error & accidental data deletion among collaborators.
- External security threats and intentional data deletion.
- Phishing and other growing email-based threats.
- The occasional Microsoft-based issue or outage.
Why another backup of Microsoft 365 data.
Microsoft Office applications typically store data inside of each application like Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, or a combination. However, data restoration can be tricky for an Office application not specifically supported by a backup tool. Furthermore, Active Directory domains can pose another challenge to those who need to back up an organization’s Microsoft 365 environment. Microsoft does not provide backup of your Microsoft 365 data. There is no provision to recover accidently or intentionally (malicious attack) deleted or corrupted data.
Unfortunate but true, Microsoft 365 is prone to many errors and threats including ransomware attacks. The CryptoLocker invasion has proven to be a serious threat to various cloud service providers – this and malware like it can enter a protected network through numerous points: email, file sharing sites, downloads, etc. Some of the new variants are now eluding anti-virus and firewall technologies, and it’s reasonable to expect that more will continue to emerge that are able to bypass preventative measures. For this reason, and for your cybersecurity insurance eligibility, having up to date preventive backup strategies is crucial.
Beyond backup.
Less discussed yet timely and important to note, is that most major software vendors some whose technology, like Microsoft, is used worldwide have vulnerabilities exploitable by bad actors that have not yet been identified and patched by the company. This is why a multi-layered approach to Cybersecurity is recommended, alongside Cyber Insurance. Making sure your Microsoft 365 data is soundly backed up is the first step.
If your company has not yet established formal Policies and Procedures where data and cybersecurity are concerned, Premium IT can help you create comprehensive policies and procedures that are current, logical and effective as part of your overall cybersecurity strategy.