Why an air-gap is so important

How can you best secure your data in our world of large networks and clouds? The answer is simple: do not connect data with valuable information to the Internet or even a network. So a physical isolation, also called an air-gap. Thus, online hackers cannot get to your data for the simple reason that the device with this data is not connected to the network. That sounds logical, yet not everyone is yet convinced of the benefits, for example in the case of a hacker attack that installs ransomware, with all its consequences.

High costs due to ransomware!

The cost of such an attack can be considerable. Not only from the ransom itself (if you pay it at all), but also from downtime, repairing the IT environment and reputational damage to name a few. This white paper on our website has more information on that. In summary, the damage of such an attack is many times higher than just the ransom. An air-gapped backup can help mitigate this damage. In a ransomware attack, data on your primary infrastructure is encrypted. If things get bad, your data are on the street. And, as mentioned, you have to restore your IT environment and you incur costs because of your downtime. An air-gapped backup cannot prevent that.

So why air-gapped backup anyway?

First of all, prevention is better than cure. So: to minimize the chances of an attack by hackers, it is important to ensure proper security and staff training. This kind of thing can prevent a lot of trouble. Still, a hacker may still get in. An air-gapped backup can still prove to be of great value then. Because: you still have your data without having to pay a ransom. After all, that’s all the hacker is interested in: ransomware. You get the other damages and the hacker will be a proverbial jerk. But if you still have your data, you don’t have to pay a ransom for it either. You can already limit the damage by paying ransom in this way. You can also minimize downtime, since you can start restoring immediately.

But that malware is also on the backup, right?

A hacker is often working in the system for weeks before unleashing the ransomware. In other words, the recent backup also contains traces of the hacker. That is true, but malicious software can only encrypt data when it is booted. With an air-gapped backup, you have access to your information and documents. Suppose you have a database on your air-gapped backup. Of course, it is better not to start the virtual machine that is also on the backup. After all, this virtual machine contains the malware that encrypts your data when it is started. But you can start a new virtual machine, which you can use to retrieve your database from the backup. Note: this is work for experts, because you can’t afford a mistake!

Want to know more?

Feel free to inquire about air-gapped datastorage options. At COMEX, we are ready for it.