Creating a backup that can keep your data safe from the next cyber attack is relatively simple, but many organizations have failed to implement such a practice to date. If you examine why, most of the time it boils down to a basic lack of understanding of how cybercriminals operate. We have written in the past about the 3-2-1 backup principle, which provides general guidance on having 3 copies of the data at any given point in time on 2 different types of media while maintaining 1 totally disconnected copy. If an organization implements such an approach, it should be positioned reasonably well to recover the data from many common attack scenarios.
In this article, we will try to explain why adopting professional-grade cloud backup solutions emerges a strategic imperative in safeguarding business operations for enterprises of any size. We want to emphasize that a backup is not made for the sake of doing backup – The main goal of a backup is being able to restore your business data at any point in time.
Understanding Cloud Backup
Cloud backup, als[LP2] [LP3] o known as online backup or cloud storage backup, is a method of backing up data to a remote, cloud-based server over the internet. Businesses and individuals can use cloud backup services to protect their critical data from loss due to hardware failures, ransomware, natural disasters, or other unforeseen events.
Modern Cloud backup solutions typically offer automated backup scheduling, versioning, encryption, and secure remote access to backed-up data. Cloud backup uploads copies of data files, databases, or entire system images to the cloud-based server infrastructure via purpose built backup software. These backups are stored securely and redundantly across multiple data centers, ensuring data availability and durability. In the event of data loss or corruption in their business environments, users can easily restore their backed-up data from the cloud, enabling quick recovery and minimizing downtime.
Another aspect is a segregation between the clients' environments and the cloud backup service providers. Why is it good? Let's assume the scenario of fire in the office of an organization, which destroys everything in the place where people conduct business - Assuming that all important data stores are backed up locally and to the cloud. In this scenario, local backups will not be usable. The 3-2-1 backup strategy demonstrates its effectiveness by ensuring that data is replicated in two additional locations. Utilizing cloud storage for one of these copies enables businesses to swiftly restore operations with minimal downtime in the event of a disruption. Imagine another scenario: only local backup is done. In case of fire, everything is lost – Many businesses will have to deal with a tough dilemma: Go out of business or stay in business and start from scratch.
The Benefits of Cloud Backup
Overall, cloud backup provides a convenient, reliable, and scalable solution for protecting valuable data assets. We also should look at it as a strategy for risk mitigation associated with modern cyber threats, such as ransomware. Below are five of the many benefits cloud backup has to offer.
Scalability:
Cloud backup solutions provide unlimited storage capacity, allowing businesses to scale their backup infrastructure according to their evolving needs without the necessity for additional hardware investments or infrastructure upgrades.
Cost-Effectiveness:
Cloud backup eliminates the need for costly hardware purchases, maintenance, and build inhouse management capabilities associated with traditional backup solutions. With pay-as-you-go pricing models, businesses only pay for their storage capacity, making cloud backup a cost-effective alternative to on-premises backup solutions.
Accessibility and Convenience:
Many cloud backup services enable anytime, anywhere access to backed-up data via an internet connection. This accessibility allows critical data to be restored from any location or device, facilitating remote work, collaboration, and productivity. Additionally, cloud backup solutions often offer user-friendly interfaces simplifying data management and administration tasks.
Security:
Cloud backup solutions employ advanced encryption technologies to secure data in transit and at rest. Good cloud backup should have an architecture that prevents malware from infecting the cloud backup infrastructure. For example, cloud backup providers implement robust security measures such as multi-factor authentication, access controls, immutability and regular security audits to safeguard data against cyber threats, data breaches, and insider attacks.
Automated Backup and Recovery:
Cloud backup solutions streamline backup and recovery processes through automation and scheduling. Automated backups ensure that critical data is regularly backed up without manual intervention, reducing the risk of data loss due to human error or oversight. Similarly, cloud backup solutions offer fast and efficient data recovery capabilities, allowing businesses to restore lost or corrupted data and minimize downtime quickly.
Disadvantages of Cloud Backup
While cloud backup offers numerous benefits, it also has potential disadvantages that businesses should consider before adopting it as their primary backup solution. Understanding those disadvantages should be taken seriously to ensure that organization data is not exposed in an unintended manner. Here are some common drawbacks associated with cloud backup:
Internet Dependency:
Cloud backup relies on internet connectivity for data transfer to and from the cloud-based servers. In environments with slow or unreliable internet connections, backup and restore operations may be slow, leading to delays and potential disruptions to business operations.
Security Concerns:
Storing data in the cloud raises security concerns about data privacy, confidentiality, and compliance. Despite the availability of stringent security measures implemented by cloud providers, many organizations' mismanagement may lead to unauthorized access to backups, data breaches, and cyberattacks. In addition, businesses must carefully assess cloud providers' security practices and certifications to ensure that their data remains protected. Having said that, no organization is 100% safe from breaches; this is why Cloud backup should not be the only solution in place, remember 3-2-1 strategy. It is just one type of media, after all.
Data Sovereignty and Compliance:
Storing data in the cloud may raise concerns about data sovereignty, particularly for businesses operating in regions with strict data protection laws or regulations. Compliance requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA, or industry-specific regulations may restrict where data can be stored and processed, complicating cloud backup implementations.
Potential Service Disruptions:
Cloud backup services are subject to outages, maintenance windows, and service disruptions that may impact data availability and accessibility. While reputable cloud providers strive to maintain high levels of uptime and reliability, businesses should be prepared for occasional service interruptions and implement contingency plans to ensure continuity of operations.
Best Ways to Secure Your Cloud Backup
Now we hope you understand the principles of how to use Cloud backup in the right way, we would like to give a few practical tips on how to secure your cloud backup:
1. Choose a trusted cloud provider with solid reputation and all leading security compliance certifications.
2. Use strong and unique passwords and Multi-Factor Authentication for all users with administrative rights.
3. Encrypt your data at rest and in transit so it's safe from hackers.
4. Control who can access your backups and check for any suspicious activity.
5. Keep your back up infrastructure patched up to date with the latest security fixes.
6. Use Cloud backup as part of your 3-2-1. Don’t rely only on the cloud; have a local backup solution and ensure you have real snapshots of your data disconnected from the internet and stored somewhere safe.
7. Most important! Periodically practice restoration of all your data mission-critical systems.
In conclusion, cloud backup solutions offer unparalleled convenience, security, and scalability for businesses seeking strong data protection strategies. By leveraging cloud-based architectures, organizations can mitigate the risks associated with data loss, streamline disaster recovery processes, and ensure business continuity in the face of unforeseen challenges.
We hope that after reading this post you will ask yourself the following questions:
When did my IT team test our ability to fully restore my organizations data?
Does my organization have the 3-2-1 backup strategy implemented?
Does my IT team leverage Cloud backup?
Do we initiate backups on regular basis?
If your answer is “no” to any of the above questions, let’s chat! The Armour Cybersecurity team can help answer all your questions and give you confidence that your organization is performing reliable and secure data backups.