CIO OPINION
Four critical data storage security questions CIOs must ask
Keeping data safe and protecting it from unauthorized access is a critical part of having a robust cybersecurity posture and is a top priority for CIOs and CISOs . Neil Stobart , VP Global Systems Engineering , Cloudian , discusses the four questions every CIO should be asking when it comes to securing their organization ’ s data .
Can our data be made immutable ?
The FBI has deemed ransomware the fastest growing malware threat , causing significant revenue loss , operational downtime and reputational damage . As ransomware encrypts data at the storage layer , backup data copies run the risk of being targeted in an attack .
To avoid having to pay the ransom to decrypt data , organizations must ensure they have an immutable backup copy of data that can be restored in the event of an attack .
Magnetic tape storage allows backup copies to be physically removed and stored separately , therefore making the copy invulnerable to ransomware attacks . However , while an effective defense , tape storage
The FBI has deemed ransomware the fastest growing malware threat .
With each data breach comes another tale of millions lost , untold reputational damage and the set-back of costly recovery procedures . CIOs are under tremendous pressure to keep data secure and to maintain trust with customers , while avoiding financial loss .
It is critical CIOs take the time to review their current systems and ask these four vital data storage security questions and ensure data is protected from threats and can ’ t be compromised . is slow to recover and can take extensive time and resources to manage .
Object storage can also be leveraged to make data immutable , without the drawbacks of tape . A feature known as Object Lock is supported in select object storage systems and uses WORM ( Write Once Read Many ) technology to make backup data copies immutable for a set time frame . Once backup data is written , it cannot be changed or deleted until the time is up , meaning hackers can ’ t encrypt the data and a
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