CIS Control 11.3: Protect Recovery Data
Recovery data is as critical as your primary systems—but often receives less protection. CIS Control 11.3 requires you to apply equivalent security controls to backup and recovery data to prevent attackers from exploiting this often-overlooked attack surface. This control ensures your disaster recovery strategy doesn't become your disaster.
What this means
CIS Control 11.3 mandates that backup and recovery data receive the same level of protection as your original data. This includes implementing encryption for data at rest and in transit, physically or logically separating recovery data from production systems, and ensuring access controls match your primary data security standards. The control recognizes that inadequately protected backups are a common attack vector—if an attacker can access your recovery data, your entire security posture collapses during restoration.
How to comply
- 1.Encrypt all backup and recovery data using the same encryption standards applied to production data (AES-256 or equivalent)
- 2.Implement separate storage locations or logical separation for recovery data from primary systems
- 3.Apply identical access controls to recovery data—only authorized personnel should access backups
- 4.Document recovery data protection requirements based on your disaster recovery and business continuity objectives
- 5.Test recovery procedures regularly to verify protection controls remain effective during actual restoration scenarios
- 6.Monitor and audit access to recovery data through logging and alerting mechanisms
- 7.Establish retention policies that balance recovery needs with secure deletion requirements
Evidence auditors look for
- Encryption certificates and key management documentation for backup systems
- Network diagrams showing logical/physical separation between production and recovery infrastructure
- Access control lists (ACLs) and role-based access policies applied to backup storage
- Backup encryption configuration reports from your backup solution
- Recovery test results demonstrating successful restoration with protection controls intact
- Audit logs showing access attempts to recovery data with timestamps and user identification
- Backup retention and deletion procedures documented and approved by management
Frequently asked questions
When will FAQs be available?
The FAQ for this control is currently being prepared.
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