One of the most important strategies for protecting data in the case of a cyber-attack is to have a backup strategy in place. In a ransomware attack, you may boot from a backup and restore your data to its original condition. Some businesses may employ cloud-based backup options such as Google Drive or Dropbox, while others prefer to retain backups on an external hard drive. Your backup plan, however, should contain various options to provide overall data protection.
This post will review numerous strategies for backing up your data to prepare you for any eventuality. Using these backup solutions, you can develop your own data backup strategy adapted to your firm’s requirements.
Understanding Ransomware
Ransomware comes in various forms, from basic “scareware” that displays a message demanding a ransom to a bit more complicated screen locks that block users from logging into their devices. There’s also the more well-known (and dangerous) encrypting ransomware, which encrypts data and demands a fee to unlock them.
Other varieties of ransomware exist, such as doxware, which threatens to reveal sensitive data discovered on a victim’s system. It has lockers that clock down to a deadline and threaten to wipe the victim’s files if it is not met.
Because of the anonymity of these tokens, ransomware demands payment in Bitcoin. Such assaults are becoming a huge business, with professional hacking firms selling “Ransomware as a Service” and assaulting high-profile customers for a fee.
6 Effective Backup Strategy Solutions for Ransomware Data Recovery
The 3-2-1 rule is one of the greatest backup methods to have. This entails making three copies of your data to store on two distinct forms of storage and retaining one copy offshore. You can construct a failsafe system that protects your data this way. To be even more secure, keep more than one offsite duplicate.
There are several approaches to implementing the 3-2-1 backup rule. Combining the following tactics, you can establish a safe and secure strategy to avoid data loss.
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Use an External Hard Drive
External drives are divided into hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs). HDDs are older and less expensive, but SSDs provide quicker and more portable copy rates. You may use built-in backup software, third-party backup tools, or manually copy files to back up vital data.
Most computers have software that automatically backups data to external storage devices, such as Apple’s Time Machine. Third-party backup tools that employ cloud services may be quicker and more efficient than the built-in software on your machine. Manual data transfer is a viable choice if you want to avoid employing backup software. When buying an external hard drive, ensure it is compatible with your computer and has enough capacity to back up your whole operating system. Choose one disk for backups and another for regular usage.
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Use an Online Backup Service
You may use an online backup service to back up your data by encrypting your files, scheduling frequent backups, and keeping the backup files secure. Online backup services are an excellent approach to safeguard your data during a computer catastrophe or theft.
They include security features like file encryption and password protection and the ability to schedule frequent backups (full and incremental), so you don’t have to worry about losing your data. Most online backup services also enable you to store your backup files in a secure place, giving you peace of mind that your data is secure.
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Use Optical Media
Optical media options such as CDs or DVDs may be employed to duplicate your data. Many burning solutions are available that will help you copy and generate an image of your data and crucial papers.
Moreover, optical media is useful because it offers a tangible backup of your data that you can store securely. However, it is crucial to remember that this procedure is accurate, and data loss may occur if the disk is damaged or scratched.
Another option is using a service like Mozy or Carbonite to back up sensitive data on an optical drive. You may use these services to store your data on the cloud and download it to an optical drive. Optical media is an amazing solution if you have limited capacity to hold a physical backup.
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Use Cloud Storage
Cloud storage is a simple way to create online backups and store files, images, and other data. It may be used as a main or secondary backup, and most providers include data encryption services. Backup ransomware is a serious concern in today’s digital world, making choosing a trustworthy cloud storage option critical.
Cloud backups are accessible from any computer or mobile device with an internet connection, making data restoration simple in case of computer or phone loss. Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, iDrive, and Microsoft OneDrive are popular cloud storage solutions.
Cloud storage has numerous significant benefits over previous means of data backup, including:
- Easy and convenient
- Affordable
- Scalable
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Use a USB Flash Drive
USB flash drives are portable storage devices that may be used to save crucial data on your computer. They are smaller than external hard drives, allowing them to store just the most necessary information. Connect the drive to your computer, launch Windows Explorer or Finder on Mac, then drag and drop files and folders onto the disk to backup data. After that, click the Safely Remove Hardware icon in your system tray or menu bar to eject the drive.
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Invest in a Network Attached Storage (NAS) Device
A NAS device is a dedicated server that provides file-level storage and sharing for your home or small business network. It is meant to be constantly on and connected to access your data from any location. Because your data is saved on a dedicated server, NAS provides dependability and security. This makes it less vulnerable to computer breakdowns or virus infestations. Furthermore, NAS systems have security features such as password protection and encryption to protect your data from prying eyes.
Conclusion
Ransomware is a risk to all organizations. Because attackers’ tools are so sophisticated, it might be difficult to defend against these assaults. Storing backups on the same network as your present data is insufficient to safeguard against ransomware since malicious software may browse the network and actively seek files to encrypt.
Encrypted backups, kept independently from everyday operations files, are critical for data security. Multiple backups are advantageous for redundancy in unforeseen attacks or outages. Many suppliers provide backup and recovery solutions for on-premises, cloud, and SaaS platforms that are customized to the needs of businesses. Their unchangeable ransomware defense provides safe storage and rapid recovery from ransomware assaults.
Learn more about how the best provider can help protect your company against ransomware and other digital threats by contacting an expert now.
