Backing up is a way to protect your sensitive data when a failure happens to your computing device. It is essential to have at least three copies of your data off-site and to protect these copies with a password so you can retrieve your important data in the case of system failure, virus attack, or natural disaster. 

Most business organizations have backup plans already in place. They back up their data daily and in some instances after each transaction to assure a high level of security and trust. 

Individual users can either back up their data to the cloud or use tapes and external hard disk drives for this purpose. We prefer to use external disk drives and tapes to back up our confidential data. This is the safest method because storing data in the cloud, especially sensitive information, may not always be a good choice for security-conscious people.

For individuals, it is essential to maintain a backup schedule of your important files. It is recommended that you have at least two copies stored on two different backup media (e.g., one stored on tape and another on an external hard drive). Backup media should be stored in a secure, safe location and must be protected with a strong password (review our password creation guidelines). There are many free backup software applications for Windows systems. The following are the most popular ones