Back it up before it’s gone: The 3-2-1 rule for backups

Bowling Green, Ky. (October 28, 2025) - In today’s connected world, our data is our business. Whether it’s family photos, financial records, or critical customer data, losing access to your files can feel like losing a piece of your life or your organization’s foundation. Too many people only realize the importance of data backups after a cyber incident, hard drive failure, or a natural disaster wipes everything away.

Backups aren’t just for big businesses. They’re essential for everyone, individuals, and organizations. And the good news? Protecting your data doesn’t have to be complicated. You can follow a simple, time-tested strategy known as the 3-2-1 backup rule.

Let’s start with a few basic definitions. A backup is a secure copy of your critical data stored separately from your primary systems. In the event of a cyber incident, ransomware attack, system failure, or disaster, backups enable you to restore your data and recover quickly. Without a backup, even a minor security incident can lead to permanent data loss, extended downtime, or financial damage.

What is the 3-2-1 rule?

The 3-2-1 backup rule is a straightforward guideline designed to ensure your data survives any kind of loss or attack:

• 3 copies of your data: You should always maintain three copies of your data, including your original file and two backups.
• 2 types of storage: Keep your backups on at least two different types of media, such as an external hard drive or a cloud storage service.
• 1 copy off-site: Store at least one backup off site, away from your home or office. This ensures your data is safe even if your building suffers a fire, flood, or theft. This could be the cloud copy.

This approach builds redundancy into your system. If one copy is corrupted, another is still safe and accessible.

How to implement the 3-2-1 rule

• Start local: Use an external hard drive or network-attached storage (NAS) device to automatically back up your files every day. Tools like Windows File History or macOS Time Machine make this simple.
• Add cloud storage: Use a cloud backup service (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud) for continuous, off-device protection. Cloud storage keeps your data accessible even if local devices fail.
• Store one copy off site: Keep a backup drive in a secure location outside your main workspace. A professional off-site or cloud-based backup service provides both security and convenience for businesses.
• Encrypt and test: To protect sensitive information, encrypt all backups, especially those stored off site. Then, regularly test your backups to ensure they can be restored successfully.

Don’t wait until it’s too late

It’s easy to put off backing up your data until disaster strikes, and then it’s too late. Take 15 minutes this week to review your backup plan or create one from scratch. Remember: it’s not a question of whether something will happen to your data, but when.

I personally rely on a cloud backup that syncs automatically, so I never have to worry about losing files. If my computer ever fails, I can easily restore my important files onto another device. The peace of mind it offers is truly valuable, and I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try!

As we wrap up Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency and Connected Nation want your help in Building a Cyber Strong America. For information, reach out to us or visit www.cisa.gov for free tools for you and your organization.

About the Author: Michael Ramage is the Connected Nation Strategic Broadband Advisor. Michael provides consultative services in support of CN’s federal BEAD and DEA grant related activities and deliverables. These include but are not limited to state and community action plan development, policy interpretation and/or creation, grants administration, community engagement as well as digital equity and inclusion (DEI) programming.