The Most Trusted Layer of Defense Is Becoming the Most Vulnerable

Backups have long been treated as a reliable fallback during ransomware attacks. Over time, however, that reliability has come into question. Attackers have increasingly begun to target backup infrastructure, recognizing that recovery depends on it.

As a result, compromising stored data early in the attack has become an effective way to remove recovery as an option.

Rather than striking immediately, ransomware often enters a network quietly and remains undetected for an extended period. During this time, infected files are silently copied into backups through regular scheduling. With each new backup cycle, more corrupted data is preserved. Eventually, several restore points may be affected without triggering any alerts.

When recovery efforts begin, the infected files are pulled back into the system alongside clean data. At that point, what should have helped resolve the crisis instead allows it to continue.

Why It Matters: A compromised backup takes away the one fallback many organizations rely on when systems are hit by ransomware. Without a clean source of recovery, teams must choose between paying a ransom or attempting to rebuild from corrupted files. Both options carry serious consequences, including financial loss, prolonged downtime, and disruptions that can last well beyond the initial event. Although a backup may appear to offer protection, it often creates a false sense of security that fails under real pressure.

• Backup Systems Are Now a Direct Target: Ransomware incidents rarely focus only on production environments. In 94% of reported attacks, backup infrastructure was also targeted. These attempts succeed more than half the time and are especially effective in sectors like energy, education, and government. Many systems remain accessible through the same pathways as active data, giving attackers a clear route to stored information.

• Infection Begins Long Before Detection: Once inside a network, ransomware often waits before taking action. During that period, malicious code is captured by automated backup systems and stored across multiple restore points. Since many scanning tools focus on surface-level details, this type of hidden damage often goes unnoticed until recovery begins and infected files return to production.

• Costs Increase When Backups Are Compromised: The financial impact grows significantly when recovery fails. Organizations with damaged backups reported median costs of $3 million, compared to $375,000 for those whose backups remained intact. Ransom demands were more than twice as high, and payments followed at nearly twice the rate. Longer downtime and broader system failures make every part of the process more expensive.

• Content Inspection Is Now Required for Safe Recovery: Tools that rely on file names or known malware patterns often fail to catch embedded corruption. New approaches involve analyzing the structure and content of data, which can reveal subtle changes across backup versions. By pinpointing when and where the damage began, these tools help teams avoid reintroducing threats during restoration.

• Fast Recovery Only Works When the Data Is Clean: In a ransomware event, time matters. But moving quickly without knowing whether the backup is safe introduces new risks. With tools that validate the actual contents of stored files allow teams can restore systems with greater certainty. This removes the need for manual review while reducing the chance of reinfection during recovery.

Go Deeper -> Why Your Backups May Be The Weak Link In Cybersecurity – Forbes

The impact of compromised backups on ransomware outcomes – Sophos