THE PATRIOT KID

💥 Ransomware, in Plain English

Ransomware is malware that encrypts your files and demands payment for the key. It usually arrives through a phishing email or a stolen password, then quietly spreads to every drive and share it can reach before it strikes.

Paying is a trap:

• There's no guarantee you get a working key
• It marks you as a business that pays — repeat attacks are common
• The average downtime is measured in weeks, not hours

A clean, offline backup turns a disaster into an inconvenience — you wipe the machines and restore.

🗃 The 3-2-1 Rule, Done Right

The backup standard that actually survives ransomware:

• 3 copies — your live data plus two backups
• 2 media types — e.g. a local NAS and cloud storage
• 1 offsite & offline — a copy ransomware can't reach because it isn't connected

The offline copy is the one that saves you. Immutable cloud backups (that can't be altered or deleted for a set period) do the same job automatically.

🔄 When Did You Last Test a Restore?

Most businesses that “have backups” discover during a crisis that they never actually worked. A backup you've never restored is a hope, not a plan.

• Confirm backups are running — and monitored for failures
• Do a real test restore at least quarterly
• Keep at least one copy offline or immutable
• Know your recovery time before you need it

Not sure your backups would survive an attack? Chuck will audit them and set up 3-2-1 the right way.