Have you backed up your data recently? Every day people lose huge amounts of valuable data because they fail to follow this one basic procedure. March is here, but have you ever heard of World Backup Day on the 31st? Because backing up your files is such a key responsibility to protect your PC, why not dedicate the whole month to reflection?
Great. But what the heck is World Backup Day? If you work in technology, you may have heard of it. Founded in 2011, World Backup Day was designed by Ismail Jadun, a digital strategy and research consultant, to boost awareness for businesses and individuals that may not recognize the importance of regular data backups, PC Magazine explains.
“World Backup Day started out when someone on Reddit lost their hard drive and wished someone had reminded them to back up,” said Jadun. “I thought it was a wonderful idea. It’s wonderful to see people and schools around the world promoting the importance of backing up our data.”
Backing up has become more important than ever, thanks to ransomware attacks, phishing scams and all types of cyber attacks. Do you really want to chance losing your photos, music, videos, essays and memories in general, when backup options are so easy and available?
When ransomware is executed by clicking the infected link in an email, it begins to encrypt all files on your computer or device. At that point, you’ll receive a notice from the ransomware creators stating that your files have been encrypted and if you want to retrieve them, you’ll need to pay for them. Do you pay up or stand your ground? Here at ZoneAlarm, we are all for standing your ground.
Unfortunately, the sad truth is that once your files have been encrypted, they can only be unencrypted with the correlating key which only the hackers now have.
If you have been diligent in backing up your files, data, pictures and whatever else you have that’s precious to you, then you can stand your ground and walk away. Before taking a look at the different backup methods, it’s important to note that you should have more than one backup of your files stored in different places to confidently ensure that you are covered.
Thirty percent of people don’t have any way to save their important files in the event that tragedy strikes, according to Days of the Year website. You may feel your computer is safe, but 1 in 10 of all computers, including household and business computers, are infected with a virus that may suddenly cause all of your data to be gone beyond retrieval, they add. “But my phone is always on me!,” you may think. Don’t leave it unattended not even for a second, because 1 of 113 phones are stolen every minute, each day.
Got it? No matter how secure or safe you feel your data and equipment is, it’s important to back up your files.
Types of backup
Local backup – We’re obvious not talking about your PC and mobile device, but an external hard drive, a memory stick or even the old DVD or CD. This method is slightly less user-friendly as it cannot be done automatically. External hard drives are sometimes too large to carry around and memory stick are so small that they tend to get lost easily. It’s never a bad idea to have a physical backup of your files, it’s just not necessarily the most convenient.
Cloud-based backup – You are probably familiar with cloud storage like Google Drive and DropBox. The idea here is that your files are stored in a cloud that can be accessed from anywhere that you can log into your account. These services are great for sharing pictures and collaborating on documents and presentations, but they aren’t designed for heavy duty or automatic backup. Instead, look for a cloud-based backup that automatically backs up all your files and folders. Some of the best plans out there are Crashplan, Backblaze, Spideroak, iDrive, and they use high degrees of encryption to protect the data they store.
That said, you want to get peace of mind about PC security?
ZoneAlarm Extreme Security is the most comprehensive multilayered security suite on the market that stops the toughest viruses, spyware and hackers. Including anti-phishing protection, it is the ultimate solution for internet security and firewall protection, ensuring a 100% virus-free PC.
ZoneAlarm Anti-Ransomware adds an extra layer of protection to your PC. It detects ransomware attacks, blocks them and immediately restores any encrypted files. It is the result of years of research and development and offers the best enterprise-grade protection against ransomware threats.
In short, backing up your files is a must to protect your data. But ZoneAlarm gives you the peace of mind you need. Why not have both?
