What advantage do backups offer during an incident response?

Backups play a crucial role during incident response by enabling organizations to restore operations and recover lost data after an incident has occurred. When a cyber incident, such as a ransomware attack or data breach, takes place, having recent backups allows an organization to revert to a known good state. This minimizes downtime and helps recover critical systems and information that may have been compromised or rendered inaccessible during the incident.

The effectiveness of backups is often determined by their frequency and integrity; regular backups can ensure that the restored data is as current as possible, thereby reducing the impact of data loss on business operations. This capability is essential for maintaining business continuity and operational resilience in the face of various threats and incidents. Thus, the primary advantage that backups provide is their utility in swiftly restoring lost or damaged data and resuming normal operations after an incident has been managed.