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🎓 Purpose

Backups are the last line of defence again irreparable data loss (caused by theft, compromise, hardware or software updates, human error, natural disasters, etc.) and unauthorized data alterations.  

👥Audience

On this page

Initial considerations

Determine your data's classification.

• Classifying your data is the first step to knowing what safeguards are required to securely backup your data.

  • Classify data

Do suitable storage solutions exist at the University that provide backups? 

Administrative data

• https://its.utoronto.ca/its-units/eis/hardware-infrastructure/backup-services/

Research data

• https://www.cris.utoronto.ca/data-storage-finder/

Departmental or divisional solutions

• Contact your Local IT group about possible existing backup solutions. https://uoft-infosec-cf.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ISH/pages/4948958/Additional+help#%F0%9F%96%A5%EF%B8%8F-Information-Technology-(IT)

Develop a resilient backup strategy.

• While any backup is better than none, not all backups are made the same; it is important to plan out a resilient backup strategy to reduce the risk of data loss.

  • https://uoft-infosec-cf.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ISH/pages/3997924/Resilient+backups+strategy#%E2%9C%85-Best-practices

📘 What can I do?

Back up to an encrypted hard drive or encrypted mobile storage device.

• https://uoft-infosec-cf.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ISH/pages/3571764/Encrypt+data+and+devices#%F0%9F%92%BD-Use-a-self-encrypting-device-(SED)-to-supplement-full-disk-or-file-level-encryption.

• While self-encrypting or encrypted devices can provide an easy and cost-effective means of backing up data, their mobility can introduce increased theft risks.

  • Ensure physical backups are locked away securely. Physically secure data and devices