Ransomware Backup Strategy

Ransomware is a credible threat to businesses today, especially small businesses. While the best strategy to avoid an attack is prevention, your network is always vulnerable no matter how prepared you are. Therefore, your business should have a solid ransomware backup strategy in place. And this is important now more than ever since so many employees are working remotely.

What is ransomware? 

Ransomware is a type of malicious software or malware designed to block access to a computer, system, or data until a ransom is paid. The attack usually comes from downloading files or an email with a malicious link and spreads via direct attacks on servers, email attachments, and cloud resources.

How to Protect Yourself Against Ransomware  

The fastest-growing cyber-crime threat is ransomware. These threats are more focused and potentially more damaging than other cybersecurity attacks. Worse, they are also more likely to be aimed at small businesses like yours.

Using the 3-2-1 rule is the only guaranteed way to save your data from a ransomware attack, especially without paying a ransom. This rule suggests that you keep three copies of your data, two of which are stored on two different forms of media and one copy that remains entirely offline.

Here’s why good backups are the only defense against ransomware:

1. Networks and servers can become infected too 

Ransomware can attack anything that the computer or network has access to. Even though most of your users don’t have administrative access to your network and servers, there are still ways for the system to become infected. An offline backup is the only way to keep a copy of your data separate from anything that may get infected.

2. Cloud storage does not protect against ransomware

Cloud storage protects your data from physical disruption, such as hardware failures, power failures, and other disasters, like floods and fires. However, it does not automatically protect against ransomware. You still need to back up your data, even on the cloud.  

3. You need immutable or “bucket” storage     

Data is typically stored at what’s known as a block level, but ransomware can change the storage blocks. This means that your systems may back up the now encrypted files. Immutable storage saves your data in buckets instead of blocks and locks them. Using bucket storage prevents blocks from being changed by ransomware.

4. It’s the primary factor in how much data is recoverable 

Ransomware can use time delays to avoid detection. A primary factor that ultimately determines how much data you could potentially lose in a ransomware attack. It may require going back through several rounds or generations of backups in order to get a clean copy. Going so far back means that backups may need to be retained for longer than you currently keep them.

Get Your 3-2-1 Ransomware Strategy in Place

Backups only work if they are robust and comprehensive. That’s why you need a 3-2-1 strategy since it helps maximize the amount of recoverable data. It also allows for bucket storage and keeps a backup copy separate from the cloud and any networks or servers. With ransomware attacks on the rise, restoring your data from backups is much cheaper and more successful than paying a ransom.

Don’t Wait 

Don’t wait until it’s too late to back up your data in the event of a ransomware attack. Get a free assessment of your current IT set-up and learn how The IT Link can help you today.