iSACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certification Practice Exam

What type of backup involves making a complete copy of all files on a system?

1. Incremental backup

2. Full backup

3. Differential backup

4. Selective backup

The correct answer is: Full backup

A full backup involves making a complete copy of all files on a system. This type of backup is comprehensive, capturing every bit of data, including system files, application files, and user data. The primary benefit of a full backup is that it provides a complete snapshot of the data at that specific point in time, which simplifies the restore process because you have everything needed to return to that state. In contrast, incremental backups only capture the data that has changed since the last backup, whether that was a full or incremental backup. This means that while incremental backups are efficient in terms of storage space and time, they require a longer restore process since multiple backups need to be accessed to gather the complete set of data. Differential backups capture only the data that has changed since the last full backup. This type requires more space than incremental backups, but still a smaller footprint compared to a full backup. Lastly, selective backups allow users to choose specific files or directories to back up rather than copying everything, providing flexibility but lacking the completeness of a full backup. Thus, the option that accurately defines the type of backup involving a complete copy of all files is indeed a full backup.