# Microsoft's Responsibility Limits: Data Recovery in Cyber Attacks Understanding data recovery responsibilities in Microsoft's cloud services and essential measures for businesses. - **Source:** [www.theregister.com - Articles (theregister.co.uk)](https://brifing.si/source/e6d4ec13-4d0e-407a-b96d-39609d76c3b1) - **Published:** 2026-08-13 - **Topic:** [Software & Engineering](https://brifing.si/c/engineering) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/e093db92-e0ae-4f2e-b566-1351190583be ## Microsoft's Shared Responsibility Model Microsoft operates on a shared responsibility model like other major SaaS providers. While the cloud provider secures the infrastructure, data security and recovery remain the customer's responsibility. Tools like M365 and Entra ID don't provide complete protection against ransomware attacks. Microsoft guarantees service continuity but doesn't promise data restoration to pre-attack states. ## The Evolution of Cyber Attacks Cyber attacks now target human vulnerabilities rather than breaching defensive barriers. Stolen credentials allow attackers to bypass vulnerability exploitation. AI-powered phishing and social engineering techniques are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Even tools like Microsoft Entra ID can be ineffective against compromised identities. ## Vulnerabilities in Cloud Environments Businesses increasingly migrate workloads to IaaS and PaaS models. However, inconsistent protection levels across different environments create significant risks. While data may be backed up in various locations, recovery capabilities during breaches remain uncertain. The 'as a service' model can become the weakest link during ransomware attacks. ## Growing Compliance Requirements Multiple compliance mandates now require cyber resilience and proper backup procedures. Many organizations remain unprepared for these requirements. The gap between attack and SaaS availability restoration gives criminals opportunities to damage data, disrupt operations, and compromise compliance status. ## Limitations of Microsoft's Native Tools Microsoft's native retention and recovery capabilities address short-term accidental deletion and aspects of data governance. These aren't backup solutions and don't protect against ransomware or enable data recovery. Microsoft clearly states customers remain responsible for information, devices, accounts, and identities within their services. ## The Importance of Independent Backup Experts recommend maintaining immutable data copies independent of primary environments. This ensures recovery capability even if Microsoft, Google, or Salesforce ecosystems fail. Dedicated cloud-to-cloud backup solutions stored outside main SaaS tenants provide the most effective protection, increasingly incorporated into cyber insurance and compliance requirements. ## Advantages of Third-Party Solutions Storing copies of targeted Microsoft tenant data in third-party data centers safeguards critical assets when SaaS credentials are compromised. Restoration can push needed data back into SaaS environments, even if original tenants are destroyed. Some find creating new environments faster than recovering compromised tenants. ## The Critical Role of Proactive Planning Proactive cyber resilience planning proves far more effective than reactive measures. Implementing independent backup solutions beyond Microsoft's native tools enables rapid post-attack recovery. This approach is increasingly mandated by cyber insurance and compliance requirements, becoming fundamental to organizational data security and business continuity strategies. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/08/13/sponsored-the-backup-microsoft-never-promised-you/5284957 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._