Immutable & Offline Backup Implementation for Enhanced Cyber Resilience
Project Summary:
In today's cyber threat landscape, traditional backups are no longer enough. This project focused on creating a multi-layered data protection strategy by implementing immutable and offline backups, providing a crucial last line of defense against ransomware and other malicious cyberattacks.
Problem & Solution:
- Problem: The client's existing backup infrastructure was vulnerable to sophisticated attacks. Ransomware could encrypt not only production data but also online backups, making a successful recovery nearly impossible. The lack of an offline or immutable copy of data posed a significant business risk.
- Solution: I designed and implemented a robust backup architecture that included both immutable backups (WORM - Write Once, Read Many) and a regularly-updated, air-gapped offline copy. This strategy ensures that even if the primary network is compromised, a clean and untouched version of the data remains available for recovery.
Methodology & Tools:
- Initial Assessment: Conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing data infrastructure and defined Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) goals.
- Immutable Backups: Leveraged Veeam Backup & Replication to create immutable backups on a hardened repository, preventing modification or deletion of backup files for a specified period.
- Offline Backups (Air-Gapping): Implemented a schedule to create backups and then physically disconnect the storage media (tape drives or external hard drives), creating an "air gap" that makes the data inaccessible to network-based threats.
- Automated Verification: Scripted automated verification processes to regularly test the integrity and recoverability of the offline backups, ensuring they are valid and can be restored when needed.Scripted automated verification processes to regularly test the integrity and recoverability of the offline backups, ensuring they are valid and can be restored when needed.
- Security Policies: Developed and documented security policies and procedures for handling and managing backup media to maintain the integrity of the air-gapped solution.
Why Choose Me?
With over 6 years of experience in data security, my primary focus is to give you peace of mind. I don't just set up backup systems; I build resilient data protection strategies that can withstand even the most sophisticated cyberattacks. My expertise ensures your critical data is not only backed up but also secure, verifiable, and ready for rapid recovery, no matter the threat.