Safeguard Your Data: Protect Photos and Files from Loss and Extortion

Why backups are so important

Devices break, get stolen, or end up underwater. And ransomware encrypts your files until you pay. If you have an up-to-date backup, you’ll lose at most a few hours in all these scenarios – not your vacation photos, contracts, or work files.

The 3-2-1 Rule

A simple rule of thumb that works well:

• 3 copies of your important data (the original plus two backups)
• Stored on 2 different types of media, e.g., your computer and an external hard drive
• 1 copy stored off-site, such as in the cloud or with a relative

This ensures that at least one copy survives almost any accident.

Backing up your smartphone

• Enable automatic backups in your phone’s settings. This process usually runs overnight while your phone is charging and connected to Wi-Fi.
• Check that photos, videos, and chats are actually included – messengers often have a separate backup feature that you need to enable manually.
• If possible, enable encrypted backups with a separate password.

Backing up your computer

• Windows and macOS come with built-in backup tools that write to an external hard drive. Set it up once, and it runs automatically from then on.
• Connect the backup drive only when performing a backup and disconnect it afterward. Otherwise, ransomware could encrypt the backup as well.
• Additionally, cloud storage is ideal for your most important folders. Look for version history features so you can restore files to a clean state after an infection.

Testing your backup

A backup is only valuable if you can restore it. Occasionally, test-restore a single file or photo. This way, you’ll know how to do it in an emergency – and that it actually works.

Protecting your backups

• Protect access to your cloud storage with a unique, long password and two-factor authentication.
• Encrypt external hard drives containing personal data. If the drive is stolen, no one can read the data.

Backing up on the go

If your phone uploads photos to the cloud while connected to hotel or café Wi-Fi, a VPN protects your connection to our server from eavesdroppers on the same network.

If the worst happens

If your files are encrypted or a device is missing: Stay calm, disconnect affected devices from the internet, and restore from your backup only once the device is clean. Our First Aid page guides you through the next steps. Never pay a ransom – there’s no guarantee you’ll get your data back.