A backup is only a starting point. Ransomware recovery means returning the business to a known-good, usable state after systems or data are encrypted or damaged. A backup can exist and still be too old, incomplete, unreachable, or untested when the pressure is on.
What buyers should ask
Ask whether restores are tested, what gets restored, and whether a person checks the result. Ask whether some copies are offline or immutable, so an attacker cannot alter or delete them. Ask for RTO and RPO in plain English:
- RTO: how long it should take to get a system working again.
- RPO: how much recent work the business can afford to lose.
There is no universal right answer. The answer should match the business, its critical systems, and what has actually been tested.
Recovery belongs in managed IT
For a small or midsize business, recovery planning should connect to flat-rate managed IT and helpdesk support, with cybersecurity alongside it. Keep systems documented, access controlled, alerts reviewed, and restores practiced.
In the Seattle and Puget Sound area, the Portland metro, or the Treasure Valley around Boise, the questions are the same. See TANET’s AI security guidance, managed IT services in Portland, and managed IT services in Boise.
Backups matter. Verified ransomware recovery matters more. To talk through your plan, contact TANET and start with the restore questions above.