If your TYPO3 site suddenly crashes, it might be from an attack, data loss, or a server issue. Whatever the cause, the priority is TYPO3 Disaster Recovery to restore your site and get it running again.
What Can Go Wrong with TYPO3
Human mistakes: wrong file or folder deletion, pushing bad code, incorrect SQL changes
Security issues: outdated or unsafe extensions, weak passwords, forgotten test or staging environments
Infrastructure failures: failing servers, disk crashes, hosting provider problems
Software problems: corrupted database, conflicting extensions, upgrade errors
Backup Practices That Work
The “3 2 1” Approach
-Keep three copies of your data
-Use two kinds of media, such as local disk and cloud
-Store at least one backup off-site
What to Back Up
-Always the database and the fileadmin folder
-Also, backup configuration, extensions, and custom code
How Often
-Daily backups for most sites
-Hourly backups for busy sites like e-commerce
-Weekly backups for static or rarely updated sites
Testing Backups
-Monthly, restore a random backup into a test system
-Test front-end, back-end login, forms, and images
-Record what works and what fails
Recovery Plan When Things Go Wrong
Who to Contact
-Hosting provider emergency or support contacts
-Domain registrar or DNS provider
-Key people such as developers, admins, and management
Step-by-Step Response
- Assess what is broken, such as the front end, database, and login
- Communicate with stakeholders about the situation and the expected time
- Stop further damage by taking the site offline or showing a maintenance page
- Recover using backups or a clean installation, depending on the issue
Recovery Time Objective
-Decide how long downtime is acceptable in advance
-Use this to guide backup and infrastructure planning
Dealing with Specific Failures
If the Site Is Hacked
-Start with a fresh TYPO3 install
-Restore the database from before the breach
-Reinstall extensions only from trusted sources
-Review all user accounts
-Change all passwords, including admin, database, SSH, and hosting panel
-Enable two-factor authentication
If the Database Is Damaged
-Use TYPO3’s built-in database analyzer first
-Restore from backups if corruption is serious
-If no full backup exists, salvage what you can, such as intact tables or content
If Servers Fail
-Keep a documented server setup guide with every package, config, and cron job
-Have a standby environment ready to use
After Recovery: Learning and Maintenance
-Review what happened, what was hard, and what went well
-Update your plan and documentation
-Regularly check contact info, responsibilities, and infrastructure setups
-Do disaster drills by simulating outages and following recovery steps
-Train your team so everyone knows their role
What to Keep in Mind
-You will not always plan for every problem, and that is fine
-The aim is to reduce downtime and stress, not remove all risk
-A simple plan that you can follow is better than a perfect but unused one
Conclusion
Disasters may be rare, but they are never impossible. A clear recovery plan, reliable backups, and regular practice give you the confidence to face problems without panic. The goal is not perfection but preparation, so your TYPO3 site can be restored quickly and your team can keep moving forward with less disruption.
