An audit trail is typically stored securely and backed up. Which statement is most accurate?

• A. It must be printed weekly
• B. It is backed up on a server
• C. It cannot be backed up
• D. It must be stored in a locked cabinet

Answer: (B)

Maintaining an audit trail focuses on ensuring traceability, data integrity, and the ability to review past actions. A central part of that is keeping a secure, recoverable copy of the records. Backing up audit trails on a server provides a reliable, centralized storage location with controlled access, redundancy, and the ability to restore data after a failure or loss. This supports continuity, auditability, and compliance, since authorized users can retrieve the full history when needed.

Printing a weekly hard copy is fragile and hard to search or verify, and it doesn’t protect against digital data loss or tampering. Storing only in a locked cabinet is a physical safeguard that still leaves the original digital records vulnerable to deletion, corruption, or unauthorized access, and it doesn’t ensure easy recovery across systems. Saying the audit trail cannot be backed up contradicts standard data management practices. Therefore, backing up on a server best aligns with the goal of a secure, available, and auditable record.