I’ll never forget the first time I audited an organization that swore up and down they were “fully aligned with ISO 27001.” Their documentation looked polished, their IT lead could quote Annex A controls from memory—but when I asked about their backup policy, there was a pause. Then a scramble. Then a dusty PDF surfaced, last updated two years ago, describing a backup system that had since been replaced.
That moment stuck with me. Because for all the attention ISO 27001 gets for risk assessments and access control, data backups are often treated like the plumbing: essential, but overlooked until something bursts. Yet, if there’s one thing that can save your organization from a ransomware attack or server failure, it’s a well-documented, consistently applied ISO 27001 backup policy.
Without further ado, let me walk you through what this policy should look like in practice, why it matters for compliance, and how you can build one that doesn’t just tick a box—but actually works.
Why backups are central to ISO 27001 compliance
At its core, ISO 27001 is about building trust through repeatable, risk-aware processes. A backup policy sits squarely within that framework. It supports Annex A.12.3, which requires the protection of information through backup and restoration practices that are consistent with the business’s needs.
Backups aren’t just about copying files. They’re about ensuring business continuity, proving due diligence, and enabling fast recovery in the face of cyber threats. According to the 2023 ENISA Threat Landscape, ransomware remains one of the most damaging threats to European organizations, and effective backups are still the most reliable recovery method.
Despite that, many policies I review are either overly generic or fail to reflect actual procedures. A strong backup policy ISO 27001 alignment requires clear scoping, assignment of responsibilities, recovery time objectives (RTOs), and ongoing testing and review processes. And above all, it must map to the Statement of Applicability (SoA), which formalizes which controls apply and how they’re implemented.
Before we get to the nitty-gritty of what a real backup policy looks like, let’s first explore how the SoA actually documents and justifies backup decisions.
How the statement of applicability anchors your backup controls
The Statement of Applicability (SoA) is one of the most scrutinized documents during an ISO 27001 audit—and rightly so. It captures which of the 93 Annex A controls are implemented, why they apply (or don’t), and how they’re enforced.
For backup-related controls, this document not only needs to show inclusion of A.12.3.1 (Information Backup), but also provide justification that the implementation is consistent with the information security risk treatment plan.
Below is a simplified but realistic example of how the SoA might reflect backup control applicability.
Statement of applicability excerpt — Backup control (A.12.3.1)
| Control ID | Control name | Applicable (Yes/No) | Implementation status | Justification |
| A.12.3.1 | Information Backup | Yes | Implemented | Critical business data is stored in cloud and on-prem systems. Daily incremental and weekly full backups are performed, encrypted, and tested monthly. Backup policy formally documented and reviewed annually. |
This table gives auditors exactly what they need: a clear statement that backups are covered, operational, and matched to business needs. But for the SoA to remain credible, it must be grounded in a live document—the backup policy itself.
Let’s now explore what such a policy should include, and how to get started even if you’re starting from scratch.
Crafting a real-world backup policy that aligns with ISO 27001
Too many organizations make the mistake of downloading a generic ISO 27001 backup policy template, tweaking a few sentences, and filing it away. That’s not a policy—that’s a liability waiting to happen. A functional backup policy must reflect your environment, your recovery objectives, and your operational capacity.
At a minimum, your policy should cover these core areas:
- Scope: What systems, data types, and environments are included?
- Roles and responsibilities: Who handles backup execution, verification, and restoration?
- Backup frequency and retention: How often are backups performed, and how long are they stored?
- Storage and protection: Where are backups kept, and how are they protected?
- Testing and validation: How often are restore processes tested?
- Review and updates: When is the policy reviewed, and by whom?
Here’s an example of how this could be structured in a more formal document format.
ISO 27001 backup policy template overview
| Section | Description |
| 1. Policy Objective | To ensure that critical business information is regularly backed up, securely stored, and recoverable within agreed timeframes. |
| 2. Scope | Applies to all servers, cloud-based applications, and endpoint devices processing business-critical data. |
| 3. Responsibilities | IT Operations is responsible for scheduling and verifying backups. CISO is responsible for policy compliance. |
| 4. Backup Schedule | Daily incremental backups (7-day retention), weekly full backups (30-day retention), monthly archives (1 year). |
| 5. Backup Storage | Backups are encrypted and stored in geographically separate data centers and cloud cold storage. |
| 6. Restoration Testing | Quarterly restore tests are conducted for critical systems, with results documented in the DR test report. |
| 7. Policy Review | Policy is reviewed annually and after any major incident affecting data availability. |
This structure balances formality with clarity. It’s detailed enough to satisfy an auditor, but readable enough to ensure operational teams actually follow it. The key is consistency: your actual backup routines must match what’s documented here.
Let’s now look at common implementation pitfalls—and how to avoid them.
Avoiding the backup policy traps that derail audits
In practice, I’ve seen backup policies fall apart under audit for reasons that are surprisingly avoidable. Sometimes the backup policy ISO 27001 implementation is technically sound but poorly documented. Other times, the backups exist but haven’t been tested in months—making them functionally useless in a disaster.
One of the most frequent issues? Assuming cloud providers like AWS or Microsoft 365 “handle” backups. They don’t—not in a way that satisfies ISO 27001. Unless your cloud service agreement specifically includes backup responsibilities, you are still accountable for data availability.
Another red flag is when backup logs aren’t reviewed, or when retention schedules are unclear. GDPR and other data protection frameworks often require that data not be retained longer than necessary, so excessive backup retention can become a compliance risk too.
Regular testing and clear assignment of roles are what separate a paper policy from a working one. Ideally, tie your backup testing schedule into your business continuity plan testing to avoid duplication and demonstrate cross-control integration.
And that brings us to the broader question: how does backup policy support the overall resilience strategy?
Building resilience one copy at a time
The humble backup doesn’t get much glory, but it’s the backbone of any resilient organization. When your policy is well-documented, tested, and linked to your Statement of Applicability, it becomes a strategic asset—not just an operational checkbox.
If you’re building your backup policy from scratch, don’t default to the first ISO 27001 backup policy template you find. Use it as a skeleton, then layer on your real-world processes, technologies, and risks. Because in the end, compliance is not about surviving an audit. It’s about surviving a crisis.
