Title
Ransomware in Lebanon: A 3-2-1 Backup Plan for Schools, NGOs and SMEs
Ransomware in Lebanon: A 3-2-1 Backup Plan for Schools, NGOs and SMEs
Ransomware is no longer something that only happens to large foreign companies. Threat intelligence firm SOCRadar describes Lebanon's ransomware landscape as fragmented, with groups such as Stormous and FunkSec among the most active, and the public sector as the most targeted (SOCRadar). In 2026, ransomware groups have also publicly claimed attacks on Lebanese private companies and threatened to leak their data.
Most attacks do not begin with a sophisticated hack. They begin with a phishing email, a reused password or an unpatched server. And when they succeed, the only thing that decides whether you recover in hours or lose years of work is your backup.
Why many backups fail when they are needed
The backup is on the same network: ransomware encrypts the server and the backup drive plugged into it.
Nobody checks it: backup jobs have been failing silently for months.
Cloud data is forgotten: Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace mailboxes and drives are not backed up at all.
Restores are never tested: the first attempt to restore happens during the crisis.
The 3-2-1 rule, adapted for Lebanon
3 copies of your data: the live data plus two backups.
2 different types of storage: for example, a local backup appliance or NAS and a cloud repository.
1 copy off site: in the cloud or another location, so fire, theft or an attack on your office does not take everything.
To this we add two things that matter more every year:
Immutability: at least one copy that cannot be changed or deleted for a set period, even by an administrator account. This is what defeats ransomware that hunts for backups.
Tested restores: regular, documented restore tests, so you know how long recovery actually takes.
What to back up
Servers and virtual machines (accounting, ERP, school management, file servers)
NAS and shared folders
Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace email, OneDrive/Google Drive, SharePoint and Teams
Key configuration: firewall, switches, CCTV recorder settings
Prevention still matters
Backup is your safety net, but fewer incidents is better than faster recovery. Turn on multi-factor authentication for every email account, keep servers and firewalls patched, restrict admin rights, and segment your network so one infected laptop cannot reach everything.
How Techaneyat Systems helps
We design, supply, install, monitor and support backup systems for schools, NGOs and businesses across Lebanon, with restore testing and reporting included in the SLA. See our Backup System or book a free systems check and we will tell you plainly whether your data would survive an attack.