Offline copies are backups kept separate from live systems, usually on storage that is disconnected, air-gapped, or otherwise inaccessible to attackers during normal operations. They are designed to preserve a recoverable version of critical data even if production servers are encrypted, wiped, or tampered with.
In cyber security, offline copies matter because many destructive attacks target both primary systems and online backups. If backup repositories stay reachable from compromised credentials or management tools, ransomware can delete, encrypt, or corrupt them before defenders can respond. Well-designed offline copies support restoration, business continuity, and incident response by giving organizations a trusted recovery point. They are often paired with verification, rotation, and regular restore testing so the data can be used when needed.