As
ransomware is on the rise, the organisations are focusing too much on the
anti-virus softwares rather than proactively forming strategies to deal with cyber-attacks
which could pose as an indefinite threat to the users. Nevertheless one of the
good advices to deal with this issue is the creation of the air-gaps, as
through these it becomes quite easy to store and protect critical data. It even
allows the offline storage of data. So, when a ransomware attack occurs, it
should be possible to restore your data without much downtime – if any at all.
But it
usually happens so that organisations more often than not find themselves taking
one step forward and then one step back. As traditionally, the ransomware is
more focused on backup programs and their associated storage but on the other
hand it seems very keen on perpetually targeting the storage subsystems which
has spurred organisations into having robust backup procedures in place to
counter the attack if it gets through.
So in
order for the organisations to be proactive it is recommended that they should
resort to different ways to protecting data that allows it to be readily
recovered whenever a ransomware attack, or some other cyber security issue,
threatens to disrupt day-to-day business operations and activities.
Clive Longbottom, client services
director at analyst firm Quocirca explains: “If your backup software can see
the back-up, so can the ransomware. Therefore, it is a waste of time arguing
about on-site v off-site – it comes down to how well air locked the source and
target data locations are.”
However,
to defend against any cyber-attack there needs to be several layers of defence
which may or may not consist of a firewall, anti-virus software or backup. The last
layer of defence that is to be used by the user though, must be the most robust
of them all to stop any potential costly disruption in its track before it’s
too late. So, anti-virus software must still play a key defensive role.
A
ransomware attack is pretty brutal, warns Longbottom, “It requires a lot of CPU and disk activity. It should be possible for
a system to pick up this type of activity and either block it completely, throttles
it, or prevents it from accessing any storage system other than ones that are
directly connected physically to the system.”
Now coming down to the traditional approach, it is often
observed that data centres are in position in close proximity to each other in
order to easily tackle the impact of latency, but for the fact they are all too
often situated within the same circles of disruption increases the financial,
operational and reputational risks associated with downtime.
Therefore there are a few certain tips that could allow the
user to successfully migrate data to prevent ransomware attacks:
• The more layers you can add the better.
• User education.
• Update your Back-up regularly - it can be the last layer
of defence.
• Have a copy off site – tape or cloud but don’t leave the
drawbridge down.
• Planning of your backup process for your recovery
requirement.
By following these one could successfully prevent cyber-attacks
with ease and precision.
