Strengthening Backup Security: Best Practices and How Insight Can Help
In today’s rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape, data protection is critical. Backups are often considered the last line of defense against ransomware or accidental data loss. However, without proper security, backups can themselves become targets for attack, potentially leading to data breaches or loss.
Here are several best practices to bolster backup security, followed by how Insight can complement your strategy.
1. Limit User Access to Backups
Only authorized personnel should have access to backup locations. By restricting access to a small number of admins, you drastically reduce the attack surface. Ensure that each admin has their own unique login credentials—shared accounts are a security risk waiting to happen.
2. Use Unique Admin Accounts
Instead of sharing generic credentials among administrators, enforce unique admin accounts for accessing backup storage. This practice allows for detailed auditing and tracking, helping you identify exactly who accessed the backups and when.
3. Enable Backup Immutability
Many vendors now offer immutable backup technology that prevents anyone, including administrators, from deleting or altering backups within a specified timeframe. This immutability ensures your backups are tamper-proof, giving you peace of mind that they’ll be there when you need them.
4. Restrict Access at the Network Level
For backups stored locally, apply network-level security by limiting access to backup storage servers based on IP addresses. By combining IP restrictions with the principles of least privilege (who can access the backups) and unique admin accounts, you create a layered approach to security that’s extremely difficult to bypass.
5. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Requiring MFA for any login attempt to access backups adds an extra layer of security. Even if an attacker manages to steal login credentials, MFA will prevent them from accessing the data.
6. Use Advanced Controls for Cloud Backups
When it comes to backups stored in the cloud, ensure advanced security measures like GEO IP restrictions are in place. This means access is limited only to approved geographic regions, reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access from outside your organization’s area of operations.
7. Encryption: A Non-Negotiable Security Measure
Encrypting your backups—both in transit and at rest—is an absolute must in today’s threat landscape. If backups are ever compromised during a breach or exfiltration, encrypted data is useless to attackers without the decryption keys. Make sure encryption is enabled for all backup processes to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access.
How Insight Enhances Backup Security
Insight goes beyond monitoring backup health by helping you stay proactive with your security. One unique feature Insight offers is the ability to configure an account that should not have access to your backup storage. When Insight runs, it checks if this account can access the backup storage location on your LAN. If the account gains access when it shouldn’t, Insight will trigger an access warning on your dashboard, which can also create an automated email or ticket alert.
Conclusion: Don’t Wait for a Crisis to Secure Your Backups
The threat of ransomware and accidental data loss makes securing backups more critical than ever. By following these best practices—especially implementing encryption—and leveraging Insight’s advanced monitoring and alerting features, MSPs can ensure their backups remain secure and available when needed most.
For more information on how Insight can help your MSPs safeguard data, contact eVelocitylabs today.
