What is a significant advantage of cloud-based backups?

A significant advantage of cloud-based backups is that the backups are geographically dispersed. This means that the data is stored in multiple locations across different data centers, which enhances data security and availability. In the event of a disaster, such as a fire or a flood at one location, the data remains safe and accessible from other geographical locations. This distribution helps in mitigating risks associated with localized problems, ensuring that data can be recovered even if one site is compromised.

The other options present benefits that are not as unique to cloud backups. For example, faster restoration times may depend more on the network speed and storage technology rather than the cloud's inherent capabilities. Lower data security risks can be misleading, as cloud services can also be vulnerable to cyber threats; it's their security measures that determine risk levels rather than the mere fact that they are cloud-based. Lastly, less reliance on the internet contradicts the nature of cloud-based services, which fundamentally depend on internet access for storing and retrieving data. Therefore, the geographic dispersion of data is indeed a distinct and vital advantage of utilizing cloud-based backups.