Test Data Recovery
Description
Test backup recovery quarterly, or more frequently, for a sampling of in-scope enterprise assets.
Implementation Checklist
Tool Recommendations
Enterprise backup, recovery, and data security platform for virtual, physical, cloud, and SaaS workloads
Veeam · Per-workload subscription
Enterprise data protection platform with backup, recovery, ransomware detection, and cyber deception
Commvault · Per-workload subscription
Zero Trust data security platform with immutable backups, ransomware monitoring, and automated recovery
Rubrik · Per-workload subscription
Threats & Vulnerabilities (CIS RAM)
Threat Scenarios
Failed Recovery During Active Incident
AvailabilityDuring a critical ransomware or data loss incident, the organization attempts data recovery for the first time and discovers that backups are corrupted, incomplete, or cannot be restored due to incompatible software versions, extending downtime from days to weeks.
Silent Backup Corruption Going Undetected
AvailabilityBackup data has been silently corrupting for months due to storage errors, software bugs, or incomplete backup jobs, but without periodic restoration testing the corruption is only discovered when recovery is desperately needed during an actual incident.
Recovery Process Knowledge Gap Discovered During Crisis
AvailabilityStaff members who understood the backup and recovery procedures have departed, and without regular testing no current team member knows how to perform recovery, causing critical delays during an actual data loss event.
Vulnerabilities (When Safeguard Absent)
No Periodic Backup Recovery Testing
The organization creates backups but never tests the recovery process, meaning there is no verification that backup data is intact, complete, and can actually be restored to a functional state when needed.
Recovery Testing Does Not Cover Critical Assets
Even where some recovery testing occurs, it covers only a subset of backed-up systems and does not include the most critical databases, applications, or data stores, leaving recovery capability unverified for the highest-value assets.
Evidence Requirements
| Type | Evidence Item | Collection Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Document | Recovery plan documentation | Reviewed annually |
| Record | Recovery test results and lessons learned | Tested quarterly |
| Technical | Backup job status reports and success rates | Reviewed weekly |
| Record | Backup restoration test results | Tested quarterly |
| Document | Governing policy document (current, approved, communicated) | Reviewed annually |