A school backup is useful only if it is protected from the attack and can be restored in time to bring essential services back. Build a written recovery plan around the systems and data the school depends on, keep encrypted copies offline or otherwise isolated, and regularly test both partial and full restores.
Start with the systems the school must recover
Do not assume that backing up a shared drive covers the school’s needs. A school or district should inventory its important systems, the data each one needs, the people responsible for recovery, and dependencies that could prevent a service from working after restoration. Use that inventory to set recovery priorities.
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CISA’s January 2023 K–12 cybersecurity report recommends regularly backing up key systems, testing partial and full restoration, documenting the practice in a written plan, and storing backups offline and disconnected from the network. Read CISA’s K–12 cybersecurity report.
Write down how recovery will work
The written plan should be usable if the school’s normal network or identity systems are unavailable. Record what is protected, how often it is backed up, where copies are stored, who has administrative access, and how responders can reach recovery instructions. Also identify system owners, dependencies, and the order in which services should be restored.
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Recovery order matters: restoring files alone may not bring a critical service online if the systems or components it depends on are unavailable. CISA’s ransomware guidance advises prioritizing critical services during restoration and taking care not to reinfect clean systems. See CISA’s #StopRansomware Guide.
Keep backup copies away from ordinary network access
Ransomware actors may try to encrypt or delete backups that are reachable from compromised systems. Keep copies offline or otherwise isolated from the systems they protect, and encrypt backup data. Limit and separate the credentials used to administer backups so that routine access to school systems does not automatically grant control over recovery copies.
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Immutable storage can be one option, but it is not a substitute for planning. CISA cautions that immutable cloud storage can create compliance or cost problems if configured poorly. Choose an approach based on the school’s systems, data, recovery needs, and applicable requirements.
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CISA’s ransomware guidance relays the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s 3-2-1 approach: keep three copies of data, including production and two backups; use two different media; and keep one copy off-site. Treat this as a useful way to think about redundancy, not proof that a particular school can recover or a universally sufficient architecture. CISA’s guide discusses the 3-2-1 approach.
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Choose coverage and storage by recovery needs
Compare possible approaches on isolation from attackers, coverage of systems and data, tested restore speed, separation of administrator credentials, encryption and integrity, retention and compliance, operating cost, and how easily staff can test recovery. A locally stored copy and a cloud copy are not automatically interchangeable; evaluate how each fits the school’s actual environment.
For data stored on an individual device, CISA describes an external drive that is disconnected when it is not being used, or a properly vetted cloud service, as possible options. That device-level advice is not a complete backup design for a district. Read CISA’s guidance on backing up data.
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Test restores, not just backup jobs
A completed backup job does not show that files are intact, instructions are usable, or a service can return to operation. CISA recommends regular tests of both partial and full restoration for K–12 entities; its ransomware guide also recommends testing the availability and integrity of offline, encrypted backups in a disaster-recovery scenario.
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- Test a partial restore. Select representative data and restore it to a safe location. Check that it is present and usable.
- Exercise a full recovery scenario. Follow the written plan for a priority system, including its dependencies, rather than testing only a file restore.
- Record what happened. Note what was restored, the time required, failures or missing instructions, and the person responsible for corrective action.
- Update and repeat. Correct the plan or backup configuration when a test reveals a gap, then verify the fix in a later test.
Plan for rebuilding systems as well as restoring files
Some systems may need to be rebuilt before data can be restored. CISA’s ransomware guidance discusses maintaining known-good “golden” images and retaining the software or source material needed for a rebuild. Include those materials in recovery planning where relevant, and keep them protected and accessible to authorized responders.
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During an attack, restore carefully
Coordinate recovery with the incident response, follow the documented priorities, and restore clean systems from protected backups. Do not reconnect affected systems before they are safe; doing so could expose restored systems to reinfection. The right sequence and technical steps depend on the incident and the school’s environment.
Account for local requirements and school-specific needs
CISA’s guidance provides a U.S. cybersecurity baseline, not a determination of a district’s student-record retention rules, breach obligations, or ideal technical design. Confirm applicable local requirements and the terms of relevant cloud contracts. The appropriate schedule, storage design, and recovery targets depend on the school’s data volumes, services, and continuity needs.
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