In recent years, data breaches and cyberattacks have increased exponentially. These attacks also target the local backups by deleting or corrupting the backups, making it crucial for organizations to have backup and recovery processes in place. Immutable backups are one way to ensure that your data remains unaltered and inaccessible to cybercriminals.
What are Immutable Backups?
Immutable backups refer to the practice of creating immutable copies of data, which cannot be altered, deleted, or overwritten. It means creating a backup that cannot be changed in any way. They use technology and processes that prevent unauthorized modifications to the backup data.
The Why Behind Immutable Backups
Why would you want to invest in this type of backup? For one thing, they provide an additional layer of defense against data tampering and deletion. Traditional backups can be modified or deleted, making them vulnerable to ransomware attacks or accidental data corruption.
Many compliance standards require organizations to have processes in place for secure backup and recovery, and immutable backups are one way to meet those requirements. Additionally, they facilitate faster and more reliable recovery in case of data loss or cyberattacks.
But How Do They Work?
Immutable backups use specialized software and hardware that enforce the immutability of backup copies. These technologies include write-once-read-many (WORM) storage systems, which prevent data from being overwritten, as well as data classification, encryption, and access controls.
They also create multiple copies of the data in different locations to ensure redundancy and protection against physical disasters. These backups are regularly tested for integrity to ensure they are accessible when needed.
Benefits of Immutable Backups
Let’s break down some of the benefits so you can see if it’s a good fit for you.
- Enhanced Data Security: They act as a robust defense mechanism by preventing data tampering and deletion, ensuring the original backup remains untouched and secure.
- Compliance Assurance: They support organizations in complying with rigorous regulatory requirements by maintaining data integrity and immutability, thus simplifying the compliance process.
- Reliable Disaster Recovery: By guaranteeing the availability of untampered data, they streamline the disaster recovery process, making it faster and more dependable in the face of data loss or cyberattacks.
- Protection against Ransomware: They are an effective tool in the fight against ransomware, as they ensure that clean, unencrypted versions of data can be recovered, thus minimizing the impact of such attacks.
- Data Integrity: The immutability feature ensures that the data remains in its original state, safeguarding against unauthorized changes and data corruption.
Implementing Immutable Backups
Start by identifying which data is most critical to your operations and classify it accordingly. Next, implement encryption to protect this data from unauthorized access, ensuring that even if data is intercepted, it remains unreadable. Setting up access controls is equally crucial; limit who can modify or delete backups to prevent internal threats. Finally, integrate immutable backups into your existing backup and recovery strategies to maintain seamless operations.
Remember, it’s not just about having backups; it’s about having backups that you can rely on in any situation.
Partner with Run Networks to Protect Your Data
Partnering with Run Networks can help ensure that your data is secure and recoverable in any eventuality. With our comprehensive solutions, including local and cloud backups, we have you covered. Contact us today to learn more about how we can safeguard your business’s data with immutable backups.
