Encryption protects content from someone without credentials. It does not make the archive impossible to delete. Ask whether the copy can be read, damaged or recovered.
Official guidance
“Maintain offline, encrypted backups of critical data”
The guide also recommends testing backup availability and integrity in recovery scenarios. Our examples are commentary, not breaking news or a CISA product endorsement.
Three separate questions
- Can someone read the copy without credentials?
- Can a process delete or replace it?
- Can you actually restore from it?
A strong password cannot restore a deleted sole copy.
A manageable routine
Alongside a working target, keep an additional important copy under separate access conditions. An external disk disconnected after verified transfer is one example. This reduces reliance on one connected destination; it does not stop every attack. Two folders on one disk do not replace a second device.
Verify the archive, copy it separately and recover a document from that copy. Record the date.
Protect credentials
Do not leave the only password or key copy on the protected computer. Choose secure independent storage.
Understand the boundary
Backups do not replace antivirus or updates. Appropriate backup access is not a reason to disable every protection. Review release limitations and actual results.
Sources and scope
PDF edition: October 2023. Sourced guide analysis, not breaking news.
Checked 13 October 2026. Explanations are original summary and commentary; quotation marks identify direct quotes.
