Immutable backup storage is the best defense against ransomware

New research from Object First shows 81 percent of IT professionals say immutable backup storage built on Zero Trust principles is the best defense against ransomware, and 54 percent view target backup appliances as more secure than integrated appliances.

The report, produced with Informa TechTarget's Enterprise Strategy Group, finds two-thirds of organizations have suffered an attack, and 45 percent experienced multiple attacks. Moreover, 49 percent of affected organizations took up to five business days to recover, and most could not recover all of their data.

Over 90 percent of IT decision-makers say that zero trust principles, storing backup copies in multiple locations, and segmenting backup software and storage provide the defense needed to protect against ransomware threats.

"According to the research, almost every organization (96 percent) that has experienced a ransomware attack in the past two years said that their backup data has been targeted at least once," says Anthony Cusimano, director of solutions marketing at Object First. "This underscores the urgent need to prioritize data resilience by adopting robust, Zero Trust backup storage solutions with true immutability to defend against evolving threats."

IT organizations view target backup appliances as being more aligned with zero trust principles (77 percent) than integrated appliances, offering better overall security (54 percent) and stronger backup/restore performance (35 percent).

However, Only 58 percent of organizations polled follow the 3-2-1 rule (three copies of data, stored on two different types of media, with one copy kept off-site); similarly, only 59 percent currently deploy immutable storage.

"Ransomware is changing how organizations approach backup and data protection. As backup infrastructure faces more threats, IT teams recognize that immutability is key to protecting data," says Simon Robinson, principal analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group. "Organizations should strongly consider target appliances that align with Zero Trust principles, and IT leaders should look for solutions that offer a comprehensive range of security features tailored to their needs."

The full report is available from the Object First site.

Image Credit: Alexandersikov/Dreamstime.com