Ransomware Protection

We live in a modern world, and in a modern datacentre, we are connected. We are mainly connected via IP. Whether our data is the Cloud or On-Prem the key to accessing our networks and our data is IP. Whilst looking for a new fridge freezer at the weekend I noticed half of them being sold had WiFi and subsequently an IP address......for what I am not entirely sure, but no doubt something to do with demographics and marketing.

My point is in a modern world you cant get away with the fact that everything is connected. So how do you really protect yourself from Cybercrimes such as ransomware? I always think IT security is only as good as the last breach. Every day we hear of a new way cybercriminals have been able to access data or hold an organisation to ransom. Was there security in place?....you bet there was. Had that organisation gone to extreme lengths to protect themselves?.......absolutely. So how did they gain access? The specifics will only be known by the organisation and its support facilitator. But, the attack most probably used an IP address or a virus embedded in an email.

"Just because the back gate is locked, doesn't mean someone can't climb over it."

The problem is you'll probably never stop cyberattacks, but the key is to ALWAYS have a copy of your data offline. An offline copy will enable you to retrieve data from a point before infection. Backups to disk or cloud will be online and the virus will spread and infect backups. This was highlighted by NCSC in a set of guidelines they recently published. https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/offline-backups-in-an-online-world

There is only one option for a true offline backup, Tape. True removable media. Once a tape is removed from its library it is completely offline. No IP address, no data is written or read, no pinging....completely inert until the time you want to restore from it.

Today tape sits in a place it knows well and has served well for years. The low cost, simple, and effective last line of defense. #ONLYTAPE