The survey found that half of the IT decision makers surveyed had to rely on backups to recover data. While half  managed to recover their data successfully, 25 per cent could only partially recover their documents. Alarmingly, eight per cent  failed to recover their data due to inadequate backup processes, underscoring the need for improved storage and backup solutions.

Nine per cent  of respondents admitted their current backup systems are not robust enough for rapid recovery from attacks. This highlights the critical need for organisations to enhance their data protection measures. However, it also indicates a growing awareness of best practices in data backup.

The survey reveals that many organisations have made significant strides in their recovery strategies.

Apricorn Managing Director Jon Fielding said: “While it is encouraging to see more organisations automating backup and adopting multiple backup locations, the fact that a percentage of organisations still struggle with complete data recovery is a stark reminder of the work that remains. Robust backup systems are not just advisable; they are a necessity in today’s threat landscape.”

The survey found that there is a notable increase in automated backups to both central and personal repositories. Automated backups to both types of repositories have surged to 30 per cent, up from 19 per cent  in 2023. Specifically, automated backups to central repositories have risen to 27 per cent, up from 14 per cent, and to personal repositories, now at 16 per cent.

Fielding added: “It’s encouraging to see that businesses are recognising the need for secure backup strategies and automating backups will mitigate the risk of employees forgetting or executing the process incorrectly. However, it’s imperative that every business should have a comprehensive backup and recovery strategy that follows the ‘3-2-1 rule’. This means having at least three copies of data, stored on at least two different media, one of which should be offsite. One copy of the data should be offline, for example, on an encrypted removable hard drive that can be disconnected from the network.”

 A striking 46 per cent  of respondents now consider robust backup policies as the most important factor for meeting cyber insurance compliance, a substantial increase from 28 per cent  in 2023. This shift reflects a growing awareness of the high stakes involved and the role of comprehensive backup solutions in mitigating risks and securing insurance coverage.