March 3, 2023 | By Greg Dougherty
That is a question that all CTOs and CIOs should ask themselves, especially in light of the increasing number of ransomware attacks. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts data and demands a ransom be paid to decrypt it. These attacks have become increasingly common in recent years, and they show no signs of slowing down.
These specific industries are often targeted by industry-specific ransomware, which is designed to exploit the unique characteristics of each business and function. As a result, all industries must take extra care to protect themselves from these threats.
Ransomware is a very real and growing threat, and can easily infect networks through unsuspecting users clicking on malicious links or emails. Once a system is infected, the ransomware will encrypt data and demand a ransom be paid to decrypt it. This can be a very costly proposition for businesses and can often lead to sensitive data being leaked if the ransom is not paid.
Infected software packages and compromised credentials are also common entry points for ransomware and other malware, meaning that data is at risk even if users are vigilant. As a result, businesses need to have a comprehensive security strategy that includes measures such as user training, data backup and recovery, and endpoint security.
The cost of recovering from a ransomware infection can be significant, both in terms of time and money. In some cases, businesses may decide that paying the ransom is the best option, but this is not always possible or advisable. In other cases, data may be irrecoverable, which can have a devastating impact on the business.
Ransomware can easily spread to other parts of the network, putting other data at risk. Prevention is much easier and cheaper than recovery, so it’s important to focus on preventing ransomware and other malware infections in the first place.
Fortunately, there are steps that CTOs and CIOs can take to help protect their data from ransomware attacks.
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The first step in ensuring data safety is to make sure that your data is immutable. This can be done by using cloud repositories that offer immutability, or on-premises disk repositories with immutability or locking. If you use tape as your backup repository, it is important to ensure that it is air gapped so that it is not susceptible to outside threats.
Once your data is immutable, you must make sure that you can restore it back to the production environment in a clean state. This can be done by using a tool like Veeam Backup & Replication, which allows you to restore data back to any point in time. By following these steps, companies can rest assured knowing that their data is safe and secure.
Some companies choose to work with a partner like Opti9 to ensure data security and create a unified response plan. Opti9 is a leader in backup and disaster recovery , and they offer a range of services that can help organizations protect themselves from ransomware attacks.
Opti9’s ransomware protection service, Observr, provides real-time detection of anomalous activity in your environment. It uses advanced machine learning and artifical intelligence to detect suspicious changes in your environment that may be indicative of a ransomware attack.
EBOOK: Shield Your Business From Ransomware Attacks
Observr helps organizations detect ransomware attacks early to minimize damage by detecting suspicious activity before the actual attack. Observr alerts organizations of any anomalous activity, allowing them to quickly pinpoint the last clean backup and air gap their environment.
Data security has become a serious problem for businesses and organizations of all sizes in recent years. The encryption that is used to hold data hostage can be very difficult to break, meaning that many victims are forced to pay ransom to regain access to their data. While there are some defensive measures that can be taken, such as investing in security technologies or backing up data, the best way to protect your important data is to have a plan in place for when an attack does happen.
Opti9 in Action: Read how we helped Sonifi Create a Better Data Management Plan
This includes having a secure backup solution that can be used to restore your data in the event of an attack. Opti9 provides fully managed backup-as-a-service and disaster recovery-as-a-service that can be tailored to your specific needs and works with your existing architecture, both on-premises and in the cloud. With Opti9, you can rest assured that your data is safe from ransomware and other cyber threats.
Opti9 understands how hard you work to manage threats that seem to pop up daily. We’ve built our service offerings around critical risk management, threat aversion, and, most importantly, plans to help you prevent and manage anything that threatens your proper security protocols.
First, we create a customized plan for your business, taking into account your:
- Deployment Plan
- Compliance Requirements
- Security Exposure
- Business Objectives
Our experts guide you through a plan to ensure every step of your path to total security is implemented correctly with expert guidance. Get your free consultation.