Are you facing cyberattacks, particularly ransomware? As a business, it's becoming necessary for you to rethink your data protection strategies to anticipate unfortunate situations. In this context, immutable backup is emerging as a reliable solution. What is it and what exactly does it involve? Here's everything you need to know about this concept.
What is immutable backup?
An immutable backup is nothing more than a copy of data . However, it cannot be modified or deleted for a specific period of time. Unlike traditional backups, it allows you to keep your information intact for a long time. It is an effective solution against:
- human errors;
- computer attacks;
- attempts at voluntary deletion.
In technical terms, this backup solution is based on the Write Once, Read Many (WORM) principle . Indeed, after the data is written, it can only be read until the defined retention period expires. This provides a legal and technical guarantee of data preservation .
Why adopt immutable backup?
There are a thousand and one reasons to integrate immutable backup into your IT infrastructure .
Better protection against ransomware
Depending on their intentions, cybercriminals can encrypt or destroy your backups to prevent restoration . Immutability allows you to have incorruptible even if the production environment is compromised. You can then quickly restore the system in the event of an attack.
Compliance with requirements
Many sectors are required to strictly adhere to regulations . These include banks, healthcare organizations, and insurance companies. Immutability ensures compliance with these standards by preventing unauthorized alteration.
Reducing human errors
While performing their duties, employees may accidentally delete or modify data . Immutable backup allows you to significantly limit these incidents, the consequences of which are negligible. It also guarantees the continuity of your activities in the event of an attempted cyberattack.
How to set up an immutable backup?
Implementing this IT solution involves several steps. The first is to define the retention period, i.e., the time for which the data must remain locked. This varies depending on the nature of the information and legal requirements. In the medical or banking sectors, retention can last several years.
Second, you need to integrate immutability into your overall backup strategy. In fact, it shouldn't simply replace other protection principles. For example, you can add it to the 3-2-1 rule (3 copies, on 2 different media, including 1 offsite) as an additional layer of security.
The next step is to automate processes using modern solutions. The goal is to program immutability into the backup creation process. This way, IT teams avoid any manual manipulation that could compromise security.
Finally, conduct regular recovery tests to ensure the system's continued effectiveness. Ensure recovery times are still compatible with business needs.
