Here at Hilt Digital—your cybersecurity and cloud solutions partner across the Wirral, Liverpool, Cheshire and the wider North West—we’ve seen it time and again: businesses breathing a sigh of relief because “we’ve got backups.”

But when the latest, most aggressive ransomware hits, those very backups can be the first casualty. Let’s dive into why that happens, why it should keep you up at night… and how, with the right partner (that’s us!), you can turn your backups into an impenetrable safety net.

The Hidden Threat in “We’ve Got Backups”

Most companies we talk to have some form of daily backup: maybe it’s to an external USB, a network share, even a cloud-sync tool like OneDrive or Dropbox. On paper, that looks solid. In reality, modern ransomware doesn’t just encrypt your live data—it actively hunts down and corrupts any backup copies it can reach.

  • Attackers move laterally. Once inside your network, they scan for mapped drives, backup folders and cloud-sync paths.
  • Backup servers aren’t safe by default. If your backup repository is online or network-attached, it’s as good as live data from a ransomware standpoint.
  • Time-bomb tactics. Some strains lurk for weeks, quietly poisoning backups so when you finally wake up to encrypted files, you discover there’s nothing clean left to restore.

Why Cloud-Sync ≠ “True” Backup

Tools like Google Drive or OneDrive give you version history—but only for a limited window (often 30 days) and only for files they’re tracking. If an attacker encrypts hundreds of files and they all sync, those encrypted versions replace the good ones before you even notice.

Moral of the story: Cloud-sync is brilliant for collaboration—but it’s not a comprehensive backup strategy.

Your Shield: Immutable, Offline & 3-2-1 Backups

So what does “ransomware-proof” actually look like? We follow the tried-and-tested 3-2-1 rule:

  1. Three copies of your data (production + two backups)
  2. Two different media types (on-site disk, off-site tape, cloud vault, etc.)
  3. One copy offline and off-site (air-gapped or write-once object storage)

On top of that, we build immutable backups (unchangeable, even by admins) and offline archives that ransomware simply cannot touch.

It’s More Than Just Backups—It’s a Full Recovery Plan

Backing up data is step one. Step two is making sure you can recover in minutes, not days. With every client, we:

  • Define Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs): How much data loss is acceptable?
  • Define Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs): How long can you afford downtime?
  • Prioritise critical systems so your finance, sales and operations get back online first.

That way, if a breach does occur, it’s a manageable hiccup—not a boardroom crisis.

Why Hilt Digital?

  • Cyber & Cloud Experts: We’re not just break-fix technicians. Our team brings decades of corporate systems architecture and security experience.
  • Microsoft CSP Partners: Seamless, scalable cloud licensing and support.
  • Cyber Essentials Accredited: We practise what we preach.
  • Local & Responsive: Based right here in the North West, we know your market—and we answer the phone.

“We thought our USB backups were enough—until we tested them. Hilt Digital redesigned our entire strategy in days, not weeks.” — a Liverpool-based manufacturing client

Ready to Bullet-Proof Your Backups?

Don’t let ransomware turn your safety net into a punchline. Let Hilt Digital architect a backup and recovery solution that really works—for your budget, your systems and your peace of mind.

Call us today on 0151 452 3060 or visit www.hiltdigital.co.uk to arrange your free, no-obligation Backup Health Check.