Data protection in the AI era

Many people assume that because their email and files are in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, they are automatically backed up. Microsoft and Google keep their services running, but keeping your data safe is mostly up to you.

Does Microsoft 365 back up your data?

Not in the way most people think. Microsoft lets you recover deleted items for a limited time, but it doesn’t keep a long-term backup that you can restore from whenever you need to.

Deleted files in OneDrive and SharePoint can usually be restored for up to 93 days. Emails that have been permanently deleted are kept for 14 days by default. After that, they can’t be recovered.

Microsoft does sell a separate backup service, but it costs extra and must be set up. It isn’t included as standard.

Your data is your responsibility

Microsoft’s own guidance says it looks after the platform, while customers remain responsible for their data and how it is protected.

Google Workspace works the same way

Google keeps the service running, but its recovery options also have time limits. Once a user empties their bin, an administrator has 25 days to recover deleted files from Google Drive.

Most data loss starts inside the business

Usually, it’s something ordinary. Someone deletes a folder by accident, or a former staff member’s account is closed and their email and files go with it. Ransomware is another common cause.

Automated tools can also cause problems. A sync tool or script that is set up incorrectly will carry out its instructions and can delete large amounts of data before anyone notices. We’ve seen this happen in Microsoft 365 more than once, and the built-in recovery options don’t always cover it.

AI tools add a new risk

AI assistants are starting to carry out tasks as well as suggest them, such as tidying a mailbox or reorganising shared folders. If an assistant misunderstands a request like “clean up my inbox”, it may delete more than you intended.

There have already been well-publicised cases of AI coding tools deleting live databases and project files while trying to follow instructions. As AI tools are given access to email and documents, the same kind of mistake could happen there.

How iTops protects your data

Independent backup is a standard part of how we look after our clients’ Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. Depending on your setup, we use N-able Cove Data Protection or Datto SaaS Protection.

Both keep copies of your email and files outside Microsoft and Google. If something is deleted by mistake, including by an AI tool, we can restore it from those copies.

Not sure if you’re covered?

Ask us and we’ll check whether your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace data is backed up.