What is a primary security benefit of offline backups in ransomware mitigation?

• A. They provide the fastest possible restoration from backup
• B. They protect backup data from being encrypted by ransomware by storing it offline
• C. They eliminate the need for backups
• D. They automatically detect ransomware

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that offline backups are kept separate from the online environment so ransomware can’t reach them. Ransomware typically encrypts files on machines that are connected to the network and on accessible backup storage. When backups are stored offline—an air-gapped or removable-media approach—they aren’t reachable by the malware, so they remain intact and can be used to restore systems after an attack.

This is why offline backups are a strong defense: they create a recovery option that the ransomware cannot easily corrupt. The other statements don’t describe the true benefit: offline backups don’t inherently provide the fastest restoration, they don’t eliminate the need for backups, and they don’t automatically detect ransomware.