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World Backup Day 2026

Backups that can't be deleted. Can't be encrypted.

A backup that can be changed is not a backup

On World Backup Day 2026, QNAP sets a higher standard for data protection. Not just having backups — but ensuring they survive ransomware, human error, and credential compromise.

Why backups still fail when businesses need them most

Most organizations don't lose data because they forgot to back up. They lose data because attackers reach the backups first.

  • 57%

    of ransomware attacks successfully compromised backups, directly impacting recovery outcomes.1

  • 48%

    of organizations paid ransom due to failed or unusable recovery paths.2

  • USD

    $4.44M

    is the average cost of a data breach, globally.3

How often should you back up — and is it enough?

Backup frequency isn't a best practice. It's a business decision defined by acceptable loss.

Choose backup frequency by RPO (Recovery Point Objective)

Business Impact Tier Typical Data Change Recommended Protection
Mission-critical systems Constant / hourly Hourly snapshots + Frequent immutable backups
Core business operations Daily Daily backups + Versioning
Archive & Compliance Low change Weekly backups + Long-term immutable retention

But, frequency alone doesn't guarantee recovery.

If an admin account is compromised, can your backups still be restored?

If the answer isn't "yes," backups alone are not enough.

QNAP World Backup Day Emphasizes:
Data Immutability

If a backup can be modified, it is not a true backup. This is the standard for data protection recognized and implemented by QNAP.

  • Immutable Snapshot

    Restore points cannot be tampered with and can be restored within minutes after an attack

    • Snapshots are protected by immutability rules, and no one (including administrators) can delete or modify them during the retention period
    • After a ransomware attack, you can directly revert to a pre-attack snapshot before the attack to restore

    Key Points

    Snapshots should accelerate recovery, not become a vulnerability for attacks.

    How to achieve this

    1. In QuTS hero, enable “Snapshot Manager”.
    2. Enable “Immutable Snapshot” for volume and set the retention period (recommended ≥ 14 days)

    Requirements

    Software Snapshot Manager
    Hardware TS-h973AX / TS-h1677AXU-RP
    View Immutable Snapshots

  • Immutable Backup

    Backups are locked immediately after being written, and even if the admin account is compromised, they cannot be deleted or modified.

    • Back up to a WORM-protected storage area, where modifications or deletions are prohibited during the retention period.
    • Even if the system is breached, backups protected by WORM remain intact and available.

    Key Point

    Backups must be retained longer than the incident itself and cannot be deleted along with the compromised data.

    How to achieve this

    1. Create a WORM shared folder on the backup destination NAS.
    2. Use HBS 3 to set up a backup job, with the destination pointing to the WORM data folder.
    3. Set a retention policy so that backups cannot be deleted during the lock period.

    Requirements

    software HBS 3 + QuTS hero WORM
    hardware TS-h973AX / TVS-AIh1688ATX
    View WORM backup setup tutorial

  • Fully isolated backup Airgap+

    Zero exposure throughout: There is never a direct physical connection between the source and the backup destination

    • By utilizing a bridge NAS with QNAP Switch, dual-gate (Gate A / Gate B) physical isolation is achieved, and the two gates are never open at the same time
    • During backup transmission, there is no physical connection between the source and backup ends, and ransomware cannot move laterally

    Key Point

    It's not just 'network disconnection', but 'never direct access'.

    How to achieve

    1. Gate A ON: Source NAS → Bridge NAS data transfer (Gate B physically disconnected).
    2. Gate A OFF, Gate B ON: Bridged NAS → Backup NAS Write (Source end is fully isolated)
    3. Transfer completed, both gates closed, the backup NAS returns to a fully offline state.

    Requirements

    Source NAS Existing QNAP NAS
    Bridged NAS TS-264
    Backup NAS TS-1655 (QuTS hero)
    Switch QSW-M3216R-8S8T
    Software HBS Airgap+ Full Isolation Backup
    View full isolation backup architecture and settings

QNAP ensures end-to-end data protection

A QNAP NAS is designed to protect all critical data across your environment, enabling end-to-end backup and synchronization from mobile devices, PC/Mac, servers, virtual machines, SaaS workloads, WordPress websites, and cloud sources. Learn more

With built-in replication and offsite strategies, organizations can design ransomware-ready recovery across every workload.

QNAP end-to-end data protection
Recommend

Remote backup to myQNAPcloud One

To extend protection beyond on-premises infrastructure, QNAP also enables secure remote backup to myQNAPcloud One cloud storage.

  • Back up critical data from QNAP NAS to an offsite cloud location
  • Combine file storage and S3-compatible object storage with server-side encryption, Object Lock, and WORM protection
  • Integrate cloud backup seamlessly into existing backup and recovery workflows

Learn More

myQNAPcloud One

myQNAPcloud One: Winner of 2025 Backup and Disaster Recovery Award from Cloud Computing Magazine

Meet your backup needs with QNAP NAS

FAQ

An immutable backup is a backup copy that cannot be changed or deleted for a set retention period. It's typically enforced by WORM (write once, read many) controls or Object Lock, so recovery data stays intact when accounts or systems are compromised.

No. A snapshot is a point-in-time record inside a storage system that enables fast rollback. A backup is an independent recovery copy stored separately (often offsite or in the cloud).

Immutability prevents attackers from encrypting or deleting backups. Even if admin credentials are compromised, protected backup versions remain intact—so recovery is still possible.

Yes. Immutability protects integrity, while offsite backup ensures availability if the primary environment is unavailable. Many organizations combine both and add air-gapped copies for higher-risk scenarios.

A widely adopted update is 3-2-1 with at least one immutable (or air-gapped) copy, plus verified recovery through restore testing (often referred to as the 3-2-1-1-0 approach). The focus shifts from simply having backups to proving clean recovery within defined RPO/RTO targets.

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