Quantum Tape Protection Secures Data Off-Line Against Ransomware
Quantum Ransomware Protection Packs are based on a system of procedures that secure data from ransomware attacks by creating and securing offline backup copies. Each protection pack includes pre-defined security functionality against ransomware threats, using Quantum's automated Active Vault system, described below, combined with military grade encryption and a Write Once Read Many (WORM) approach.
Ransomware is malware that prevents users from accessing their systems or data and demands a sum of money to be paid in return for a decryption key. The best defence appears to be maintaining off-line copies that are disconnected from the network and used to restore the production environment if necessary.
While most organisations regularly back up data to disk, ransomware viruses can also target networked backup systems, where they may lay dormant and undetected on the network. Eventually they are able to trigger an infection throughout the backup environment, on premises and in the cloud, which allows the ransomware to infect data on disk, including replicated copies.
Tape is considered to be an effective line of defence against ransomware and is shown to be resistant to modern cyberattacks.
Storing and protecting data off-line using tape has various advantages when disk has been compromised. Storing critical data on an on-premise, off-line vaulted partition within the library makes it easier and less expensive to recover a production environment than when the data is stored in the cloud, which involves the cost and effort of moving data from the cloud to another location. Taking modern tape capacities into consideration, off-line storage is a cost-effective method for long-term data archival.
The Quantum Ransomware Protection Packs focus on security, and meanwhile the Active Vault software layer integrated into Quantum's Scalar tape libraries adds intelligence.
Active Vault uses the offline nature of tape, which it makes inherently secure, it by sealing off a vault within the library that is ‘air-gapped’. This means that administrators can set a policy to move tapes from the backup application-connected partition to an Active Vault partition, a logical area within the library that has no network connectivity, and no network-connected devices. In-library vaulting makes the Scalar libraries unusual because users can retain a secure, completely offline copy of data, and avoid administrative tape handling at the same time.
Ransomware Protection packs are priced to compete with custom-built systems and are paid for according to how much data is to be protected. So far, Quantum has set three capacity points ranging from small at 200TB or less, up to 2PB in the largest configurations. Software licenses and services are included, and customers can also buy Intelligent software protection upgrades for existing libraries. www.quantum.com
