In today’s world, IT equipment is typically expected to be connected to the internet. This has made it easier for employees to work remotely and get their jobs done from anywhere in the world, but it also opens up a huge security risk.
The problem with connecting devices to an open network like the internet is that there are always people trying to break into your system and steal data or take control of your device. This can be prevented by air-gapping – which means creating two networks (one unconnected) – one for users who need access on the public web, and one for sensitive data that needs protection against unauthorized access. Air-gapping prevents hackers from accessing your information because they cannot physically reach you through this second network.
What is air-gapping?
Air-gapping refers to the practice of keeping certain information on a different network, away from prying eyes.
The air gap (or physical separation) between these two networks keeps data safe from hackers, ransomware attacks, and cybercriminals who might otherwise break through your system’s security measures. This will help keep critical business data confidential, allowing you to do what you need without worrying about any leakage or breaches that could cause serious harm to your company.
Without air-gapped backups technology in place, there are simply too many ways for attackers to access sensitive information like credit card numbers, passwords and other personal records they can use against you – or sell online for hefty prices!
Why do businesses need to use it?
Today, the vast majority of companies rely on some form of physical, virtual, or cloud systems in order to function. They also typically house information in networks connected directly or indirectly through the internet. This creates a huge vulnerability as cybercriminals have many points of access that they can exploit to break into your system.
It’s also very common for these systems to be connected through the same network, with air-gapping being an easy and effective way to protect yourself from this risk. It keeps data safe by physically separating it so attackers don’t stand a chance at accessing it in any way – which is why air-gapping has become such a necessary component of enterprise backup strategies.
Why are backups not enough?
Backups have always been considered the go-to solution for security breaches and protecting information in case of an attack, but with the constantly evolving ransomware threat, today backups alone aren’t enough.
Ransomware attacks used to target production environments only. In such cases, if you had backups stored in a secondary storage, or a cloud repository, you could clean the production environment and restore operations fairly quickly.
Today, ransomware not only attack production environments but also look for backups as a means to completely crippling your business operations. As backups are usually automated and accessible via the network, ransomware attacks manage to encrypt them along with the production environment. Air-gapped backups are isolated from the production network.
The reason why air-gapping works so well is that it keeps hackers out while also allowing employees access to their files whenever they need them, without having any risk of malware, virus, or ransomware attacks.
With air-gapping, you don’t have to worry about taking your entire system offline either since there’s never a threat of bringing down both networks at once – unlike what happens with traditional backup methods which typically bring everything online again after the upgrade process has completed.
Advantages of Air-Gapped Backups
In an age where ransomware attacks are wreaking havoc on a daily basis, air-gapping is one of the best ways to keep your data and your business (or organization) safe and ransomware-proof.
The biggest advantage is that air-gapping can protect against attacks even if you’re using traditional backups since they typically bring everything online at once during a recovery phase – leaving all devices vulnerable.
Air-gapping allows employees to stay connected while protecting their files from outside threats by keeping them entirely isolated. With air gapped backups, cybercriminals won’t be able to access your data, and you’ll be able to work uninterrupted.
In addition to protecting your data from cybercriminals, air-gapping is also a useful data protection measure for compliance. Compliance regulations such as HIPAA, FedRAMP, CJIS, FISMA, etc. require data processors to make sure that confidential customer information is only accessible to users with the right protocols. As air-gapped backups are normally isolated, they make sure that only people with the right credentials can access the data stored in them. This makes air-gapped repositories a preferred storage media for information such as credit card information, video surveillance data, financial records, patient data, and more.
How to air-gap your business data
There are different air-gapping technologies available that make it easy to air gap your business data – depending on your existing IT infrastructure.
Air-Gapping in the Cloud
Set up isolated cloud storage repositories in public/private clouds such as Azure, AWS, etc. Store your backups and confidential data in highly secure offsite storage repositories. This is especially good practice in case your production environment malfunctions or a natural disaster compromises your IT infrastructure.
Virtual Air-Gapped Repositories
Repurpose unused/idle/available storage resources and configure virtual air-gapped repositories on your local virtualized system(s).
Supported hypervisors vary depending on the software you’re using to setup air-gapped repositories.
Physical Air-Gapped Nodes
Purpose-built air gapped nodes that can be added to your existing infrastructure. These appliances automatically isolate themselves from the network and are inaccessible by default.
Conclusion
Air-gapping is not a replacement for backups. However, it is an essential part of an effective backup strategy that protects your data from malicious actors who want nothing more than to wreak havoc on our businesses and lives.
With air-gapped backups, your critical data is safe and secure in case something goes wrong with your primary production environment(s).
