Immutable Data Storage To Protect Against Ransomware

Data security has been complicated by modern malware, such as ransomware, which has wreaked havoc in many recent years. Companies need new ways to protect their systems against these threats, and experts recommend adopting immutable storage solutions and other technologies capable of ensuring data cleanliness and security.

Although security experts have wiped out many varieties of dangerous ransomware, many such pathogens are still circulating, and organizations are exposed to a serious threat to their storage systems. Protecting yourself from attacks is a priority as enterprise storage is increasingly diversified, and there are numerous avenues of attack that cybercriminals can exploit. Another priority is to recover in the event of a system hijacking by this malware, and for this, it is necessary to have inviolable backup systems.

In a recent article published by Jerome Wendt, president and founder of DCIG and independent technology analyst, he delves into the risks of ransomware for data storage and the options available to companies that want to recover after being affected by an attack. Of this type. In their opinion, immutable storage solutions are one of the main options available to them, and there is a wide variety of media they can use.

On the one hand, traditional storage media, such as optical discs and magnetic tape, remain isolated from the networks and can be restored. Or magnetic hard drives and USB media that stay disconnected. The increasingly popular cloud storage services and Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS). Businesses prefer disk and cloud storage for speed reasons.

But for disk storage to be immutable, you must use software that offers specific data immutability capabilities, accessible in two ways. One is through backup hardware or storage devices that include data immutability. Another is by purchasing software-defined storage or backup software that can make any hard drive immutable. On the other hand, certain cloud providers have long had object storage offers with data immutability options, which have evolved, adapting to new customer requirements.

In addition, the storage industry has developed the concept of Air-Gapped Storage, which is based on creating a space physically disconnected from non-secure networks, in which computers or storage systems can be located, guaranteeing the inviolability and immutability of the data. , away from the risks posed by ransomware. According to Wendt, this concept implies a low cost compared to other solutions; its technology has already matured enough and is well proven.

Wendt says that companies have multiple options for immutable data storage and recommends exploring these possibilities to find the most suitable recovery medium for their specific needs. However, it insists on the need to have systems disconnected from the networks to avoid any possible risk of infiltration. But it also warns that there are risks because immutable storage systems cannot detect, repel or prevent ransomware attacks, and the stored data may contain latent traces of this type of malware. For this reason, it is vital to carry out a deep scan of the data stored in backup copies to avoid risks. For this, it is necessary to have robust security software specialized in fighting ransomware.

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