64% of companies cannot verify backup data integrity, raising cyber recovery concerns and increasing the risk of prolonged business outages.
The majority of organisations remain unable to verify a critical aspect of their cyber recovery strategy, according to new research from Dublin-based technology services provider Triangle.
The company’s independent Cyber Recovery Readiness survey, conducted among 130 IT and security decision-makers, found that while many businesses have invested in backup and recovery capabilities, significant gaps remain in proving they can successfully restore operations following a cyberattack.
“While threat awareness is real and growing, it has not yet translated into the right kind of action”
The survey revealed that 62% of organisations have isolated backup copies of their data. However, only 36% can validate the integrity of that backup data when it is needed, leaving 64% unable to prove their backups will support a successful recovery.
According to the findings, 51% of organisations have established a clean recovery environment, while 62% have a co-ordinated recovery team in place. Almost half of respondents (49%) have tested or rehearsed their recovery processes within the past 12 months.
Triangle Technology Services, established in 1999, employs more than 120 people and operates from Ballsbridge, Dublin. The company serves customers across Ireland and international markets, reporting annual turnover of more than €50 million.
Be cyber ready
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What did Triangle’s Cyber Recovery Readiness survey find? | The survey found that many organisations have implemented some cyber recovery measures, but significant gaps remain in recovery readiness and backup validation. |
| How many organisations have isolated backups? | 62% of organisations reported having an isolated backup copy. |
| How many organisations can validate backup data integrity? | Only 36% of organisations said they can validate the integrity of their backup data when needed. |
| What percentage of businesses cannot prove backup integrity? | 64% of companies cannot prove the integrity of their backup data. |
| How many organisations have a clean recovery environment? | 51% of organisations have a clean recovery environment. |
| How many organisations have a coordinated recovery team? | 62% of businesses have a coordinated recovery team in place. |
| How many organisations have tested recovery processes in the last year? | 49% of organisations have tested or rehearsed their recovery processes within the past 12 months. |
| Why is backup validation important? | Backup validation helps ensure data can be restored successfully following a cyberattack and supports faster business recovery. |
| What is the risk of relying on backups alone? | Having backup data does not guarantee successful recovery if organisations cannot verify the integrity and usability of that data. |
| What trend did Michelle Harris highlight? | Many organisations are investing in AI-driven cyberattack prevention but are not testing recovery capabilities with the same level of focus. |
| What approach is being advocated by cyber security experts? | Organisations should assume a cyber incident will occur and prepare robust recovery capabilities alongside prevention measures. |
| What are the benefits of mature cyber recovery capabilities? | Organisations with mature recovery capabilities know what data to recover, where recovery will occur and how long the process will take, reducing disruption and uncertainty. |
| How do cyber-resilient organisations perform after an attack? | They are less likely to experience prolonged business outages and can recover more quickly from cyber incidents. |
| Who participated in the survey? | The survey was conducted among 130 IT and security decision-makers. |
| What is the main business takeaway from the research? | Cyber recovery readiness is increasingly a board-level business resilience issue, requiring regular testing, validated backups and structured recovery planning. |
Michelle Harris, director of Cyber Recovery at Triangle, said organisations are directing considerable resources towards preventing cyberattacks but are not always placing the same emphasis on recovery preparedness.
“Many organisations are investing heavily in AI for prevention of cyberattacks, but far fewer regularly test their ability to recover from a breach,” explains Michelle Harris, director of Cyber Recovery at Triangle. “Recovery readiness is now a critical business issue, and this survey provides valuable insight into how prepared organisations really are when disruption occurs.”
Harris said businesses are increasingly aware of cyber risks, but that awareness is not always reflected in practical recovery planning.
“While threat awareness is real and growing, it has not yet translated into the right kind of action,”she added. “The National Cyber Security Centre in Britain changed their focus from prevention to recovery. They’re saying organisations should assume there will be an event. That hasn’t filtered through to a lot of organisations, where they are still focusing on prevention, which they do still have to do, of course.”
The survey suggests regulated sectors, particularly financial services, continue to place greater emphasis on cyber resilience and recovery measures.
Harris also cautioned against assuming that the existence of backup data alone guarantees a successful recovery.
“As cyberattacks become more sophisticated, businesses need to assume breaches will occur and ensure, through regular testing, they can recover operations quickly and securely.”
A key finding from the research is that organisations with mature cyber recovery capabilities are better positioned to minimise disruption and restore services more quickly following an incident.
“Organisations that have implemented mature cyber recovery capabilities know in advance of a breach what data they will recover, where they will be recovering to and how long it will take, so there is no guesswork involved when everyone is under pressure,” Harris said.
The research found that 64% of companies cannot prove the integrity of their backup data and, as a result, are not confident in their ability to recover their business successfully after a cyberattack.
Image at top: Michelle Harris, Director of Cyber Recovery at Triangle
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