The measure that saves you.
WHY BACKUPS ARE SECURITY
They are what lets you recover from anything: compromise, error, failure.
WHAT TO BACK UP
Files and database Email, if it matters
WHERE
Off the server.
A backup on the compromised account is compromised too.
HOW OFTEN
Depends on how much you can afford to lose.
Daily for a shop. Weekly for a brochure site.
HOW MANY TO KEEP
Several, from different dates.
THAT MATTERS FOR COMPROMISE
A compromise may go unnoticed for weeks.
A single recent backup may already contain it.
Older backups give you a clean point to return to.
WHAT TO TEST
That a restore works.
Occasionally, actually do it.
WHAT PEOPLE DISCOVER
That the backup excluded the database, or cannot be restored.
WHAT TO AUTOMATE
The backup itself.
WHAT NOT TO AUTOMATE AWAY
Checking that it ran.
