Ransomware protection is weakened by outdated backup technology, limited encryption of backup data, and failed data backups
- Ransomware attacks now often directly target backup data, experts warn
- Zero Trust principles are key to data protection
- 59% of organizations will experience ransomware attacks in 2023
Ransomware attacks have increasingly become a top priority for businesses around the world, targeting organizations of all sizes and across all industries.
Recent research by Object First has revealed key vulnerabilities and the growing importance of modern backup technologies in combating ransomware threats.
The research shows that many companies are still using outdated technologies, leaving their backup data vulnerable to attack. This indicates that they are not yet sufficiently prepared to fend off modern ransomware attacks.
The state of backup security
Backup data is becoming a prime target for cybercriminals. Therefore, organizations must rethink their backup security practices to implement more resilient, ransomware-resistant solutions.
The report shows that while more than a third (34%) of respondents view outdated backup systems as a major weakness, making them easier targets for ransomware attackers, 31% cite a lack of encryption of backup data, preventing sensitive data from being stored and transferred securely.
Additionally, failed data backups were identified as another key vulnerability by 28% of respondents. These outages leave organizations unable to recover their systems after an attack, often resulting in extended downtime and expensive recovery processes.
More worrying is the finding that ransomware attacks are increasingly targeting backup data directly. Normally, backups are considered a last line of defense in the event of an attack. However, as attackers now focus on compromising this data, simply having backups is no longer enough. This shift has led to a growing need for immutable storage backup systems designed to ensure data cannot be altered or deleted by ransomware once it is stored.
An overwhelming 93% of survey respondents agreed that immutable storage is essential for protecting against ransomware attacks, while 84% of IT workers emphasized that they need better backup security to stay compliant . This need for improved security is further evidenced by the fact that 97% of respondents plan to invest in immutable storage solutions as part of their cybersecurity strategy.
Immutable storage is built on Zero Trust principles, a security model that assumes no user or system is inherently trustworthy. This approach focuses on continuously validating each access request and limiting permissions to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.
The Object First survey shows that 93% of IT professionals believe that aligning their backup systems with Zero Trust principles is critical to protecting their data from ransomware. The Zero Trust architecture ensures that even if cybercriminals gain access to a system, they are limited in their ability to manipulate or delete critical data.
While the need for improved security is clear, the research also shows that managing backup storage systems remains a challenge for many organizations. Nearly 41% of IT professionals say they lack the skills needed to manage complex backup solutions, and 69% say budget constraints prevent them from hiring additional security experts.
“Our research shows that nearly half of organizations experienced attacks targeting their backup data, highlighting the critical importance of adopting backup storage solutions that are ransomware-resistant,” said Andrew Wittman, Chief Marketing Officer at Object First.