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A multi-layered backup strategy
File syncing services are invaluable for maintaining day-to-day backups. They continuously
make and store snapshots of files that are in use to make sure the latest versions thereof are
backed up.
If these solutions cannot be used for whatever reason, physically backing up important
documents to a USB stick several times a day is just as effective, although certainly not as
convenient.
For medium-term backups, it’s recommended to keep valuable data and recent clean images of
critical systems on storage devices that are reliably segregated from the enterprise network.
Encrypting these backups will add an extra layer of data protection.
To implement long-term backups, organizations should resort to offsite storage practices. The
data repository needs to be physically isolated from the rest of the company’s IT network.
In other words, these backups should be completely off limits to employees so that a
ransomware infection won’t propagate to the storage if it ends up on a specific workstation.
Administrators should ascertain that these backups are comprehensive enough to get the entire
network up and running in case an infection takes its critical data and systems hostage.
About the Author
David Balaban is a computer security researcher with over 15 years of
experience in malware analysis and antivirus software evaluation. David
runs the Privacy-PC.com project which presents expert opinions on the
contemporary information security matters, including social engineering,
penetration testing, threat intelligence, online privacy and white hat
hacking.
As part of his work at Privacy-PC, Mr. Balaban has interviewed such
security celebrities as Dave Kennedy, Jay Jacobs and Robert David Steele to get firsthand
perspectives on hot InfoSec issues. David has a strong malware troubleshooting background,
with the recent focus on ransomware countermeasures.
59 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – March 2017 Edition
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