Backup

A backup is an extra copy of your important files, stored independently of the original. If the original is lost — through failure, accidental deletion, theft, or ransomware ✕ Ransomware is malware that encrypts your files and demands a ransom to release them. An up-to-date backup is the best protection against it. More in the glossary → — you restore it from the backup. The rule of thumb is the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two media types, one of them off-site. Cloud ✕ "The cloud" refers to services and storage that run not on your device but on external servers on the internet. You can access them from anywhere. More in the glossary → backups run automatically and off-site, so a fire or burglary won't affect them. Look for encryption ✕ Encryption turns readable data into unreadable code using a key. Only someone with the right key can read it again — the basis of secure communication and storage. More in the glossary → , ideally with the zero-knowledge ✕ Zero-knowledge means a provider has no access to your data or keys — only you can decrypt them. Even the provider "knows nothing." More in the glossary → principle. Find secure, automatic backup providers in the best cloud storage comparison.