[LizardQueen]

You wouldn't encrypt a backup... but then wouldn't/shouldn't ship your off-site backup tape via UPS so it could get lost.

Agreed. I've worked at several banks and the backups weren't encrypted. But the tapes were hand-couriered to and from the "iron mountain" offsite storage and checked in/checked out on both ends. We never sent them via common carrier!

Speaking of bank screwups, a very large bank who shall remain nameless keeps sending me CDs of customer data for the wrong company. I've told them repeatedly to cease and desist but it happens 2 or 3 times a year.

LQ

[littlelilac]

my limited understanding is that in Canada that the major banks here operate parallel central computer systems so if one goes down, the other system can continue whilst the other system is being repaired

[tophat9000]

Agreed. I've worked at several banks and the backups weren't encrypted. But the tapes were hand-couriered to and from the "iron mountain" offsite storage and checked in/checked out on both ends. We never sent them via common carrier!

Speaking of bank screwups, a very large bank who shall remain nameless keeps sending me CDs of customer data for the wrong company. I've told them repeatedly to cease and desist but it happens 2 or 3 times a year.

I know this is just very sloppy "rookie" type IT mistake...as an FE the first thing I learned is Customer data is SACRED!...this is the complete (potentially irreplaceable) business on these tapes...physically treat them as such... but I've seen this kind of dumbness before...you burn, you learn