In security frameworks, controls are categorized into three primary types:
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Preventive Controls: Aim to prevent security incidents from occurring.
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Detective Controls: Designed to identify and detect incidents after they have occurred.
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Corrective Controls: Intended to mitigate the impact of an incident and restore systems to normal operations.
Classification of Backups
Data backups are primarily considered a corrective control. They do not prevent incidents from occurring but are crucial in restoring data and system functionality after an incident, such as data corruption, hardware failure, or a cyberattack. By maintaining backups, organizations can recover lost or compromised data, thereby minimizing downtime and operational impact.
Preventive Aspects of Backups
While the primary function of backups is corrective, they can have indirect preventive benefits:
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Deterrence of Ransomware Attacks: Knowing that an organization maintains regular backups may deter attackers, as the effectiveness of ransomware is diminished when victims can restore their data without paying a ransom.
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Data Integrity Assurance: Regular backups can encourage better data management practices, indirectly supporting data integrity and availability.
Although backups offer some indirect preventive benefits, they are fundamentally a corrective control within security frameworks. Their primary purpose is to facilitate data restoration and system recovery following an incident, ensuring business continuity and resilience.