Backup and recovery procedures documented
Why it matters
Systems without documented backup and recovery procedures lose data permanently when hardware fails, ransomware encrypts a database, or a destructive migration runs on production. NIST 800-53 rev5 CP-9 (System Backup) requires defined backup frequencies, storage locations, and verification procedures; CP-10 (System Recovery and Reconstitution) mandates documented recovery steps and tested restoration. CMMC 2.0 RE.L2-3.8.9 requires regular backups of CUI. FedRAMP rev5 CP-9 sets specific requirements for backup retention and off-site storage. Without a written RTO and RPO, teams discover their actual recovery time during an outage — typically far longer than stakeholders expect.
Severity rationale
Low because inadequate backup documentation does not increase the likelihood of data loss directly, but guarantees longer downtime and greater data loss when any loss event occurs.
Remediation
Create docs/backup-recovery.md with all seven required components: frequency, storage location, encryption, verification schedule, RTO, RPO, and numbered recovery steps.
# Backup & Recovery
## Backups
- **Database:** Supabase automated daily backups, retained 7 days (Pro) / 30 days (Team)
- **Storage:** Backups encrypted at rest; point-in-time recovery available within retention window
- **Config/secrets:** Stored in Vercel env vars; mirrored to 1Password for team members
## Objectives
- **RTO:** 4 hours — service restored within 4 hours of confirmed loss event
- **RPO:** 24 hours — maximum acceptable data loss window
## Recovery Procedure
1. Identify the target restore timestamp in Supabase dashboard > Backups
2. Trigger point-in-time recovery to a new DB instance
3. Update `DATABASE_URL` in Vercel env vars to point at recovered instance
4. Run `npm run db:migrate` to verify schema matches application version
5. Smoke-test critical flows (login, submit, dashboard) before marking resolved
6. Monitor error rates for 2 hours post-recovery
## Verification
- Backup restoration tested quarterly against staging environment
DetectionPro
The detection method for this pattern is part of AuditBuffet Pro.
The full method (what to look for, pass and fail conditions, and how results get reported) ships inside the FISMA/FedRAMP Readiness Audit. The pattern definition, severity rationale, and remediation remain openly licensed under CC-BY-4.0.
External references
- nist:rev5 · CP-9 — System Backup
- nist:rev5 · CP-10 — System Recovery and Reconstitution
- fedramp:rev5 · CP-9 — FedRAMP CP-9 — backup frequency, encryption, and tested recovery
- cmmc:2.0 · RE.L2-3.8.9 — Protect backup CUI at storage locations
- soc2:2017 · CC7.5 — Incident recovery
- soc2:2017 · CC9 — Risk mitigation
Taxons
History
- 2026-04-18·v1.0.0·Initial import from gov-fisma-fedramp·automated
- 2026-07-06·v1.0.1·Add SOC 2 TSC mapping (CC7.5, CC9) from the verified compliance crosswalk register (docs/compliance/).·by soc2-mapping-enrichment-ship-2