Anyone who
reads DrChaos regularly understands that the need for effective security
against the threat of ransomware, malware, and viruses ravaging a computer
network is very real. And very scary too. It only takes one exploited
vulnerability that didn’t get patched with a software update fast enough or a
careless (or malicious) employee who snuck a questionable file onto their work
PC.
The threat
is real, ever-changing, and dangerous.
And
sometimes the worst happens.
Why a Disaster Recovery
Systems Necessary?
Like anyone
involved in security will tell you – it’s always the things you didn’t see and
never expected that get you. The same is true with computer security. As fast
as exploits are blocked, new ones appear in the wild.
The
statistics are shocking. Infected devices with ransomware cripple mobile
devices with data loss exceeding 55%. With office networks, companies fail to
recover their data 12% of the time. A third of companies have no disaster
preparation at all and 90 percent without protection don’t survive as a going
concern.
It’s
necessary to keep up with the risks and mitigate them. But sometimes hackers
get through or malware surfaces on a work PC. Then it’s about eradicating the
threat and reducing the damage. However, when malware has already swept through
the office network and it’s become unsalvageable, then it’s game over. Or, is
it?
At this
time, you’ll be glad you invested in a business continuity service. We’re now
going to cover what disaster recovery services offer companies, but you can
also read more here too.
Let’s dive in.
Disaster Recovery Works in
Phases
Make no
mistake. It’s necessary to plan for a disaster with a series of measures to
avoid panic inside the company. The trouble comes for companies with no plan in
place.
Assessment Phase
A disaster
recovery specialist focused on business continuity will first assess the
situation at the company. They know what’s required to create as secure an
environment as possible to reduce the threat level. Their experience about
what’s gone wrong for other companies where they’ve helped them recover informs
them about points of vulnerability.
Vulnerabilities
come in many forms and from different sources – employees, outsiders, websites,
software, patches and updates, and mobile apps. The assessment encompasses
potential threats and vulnerabilities, and how to best avoid them.
Protection Phase
Recommendations
are made for security improvements to avoid future issues. New processes are
created to help staff avoid making key mistakes that leave the network
vulnerable to attack.
Other procedural
recommendations assist internal IT staff in locking down potential points of
vulnerability that perhaps they were unaware of or didn’t take seriously enough
if they were aware of them.
Disaster Recovery Phase
The
disaster recovery phase is designed to implement an action plan at the point
where damage has been done to the network and/or computers connected to it.
The first
part of it is to prevent further damage to systems, where possible.
The second
part lays out what to do to recover as quickly as possible from an attack.
Maintaining Data Integrity
Data
integrity is critically important to a business.
When data
is lost, it’s often difficult to impossible for the company to recover.
Reinventing processes and recreating essential files from scratch may not be
possible, especially if the personnel responsible for their initial creation
are no longer with the company.
A series of
employees may also have augmented the files over time, making them a group
creation, which is impossible to replicate once lost.
Ransomware, Malware or Virus Could Have Been Present for Days or Weeks
With networks,
a piece of ransomware, malware or virus could have been
lying dormant on a corporate hard drive(s) for some time. It may have been
slowly working its way through the file systems bit by bit to remain undetected
rather than corrupting all the data within the space of a day. For this reason,
a blended data backup plan is required to cover all eventualities.
Automated Backups are Key
Automated
backups remove the human component and the risk of forgetfulness when it comes
to regular data backups. Files are synced to the cloud over an encrypted
connection like SSL, SSH or SFTP to prevent access and make any data unreadable
to outsiders.
Backups
should be performed every 5-10 minutes. This is possible because it’s only
necessary to back up new or amended files; not everything. These incremental
backups can be combined easily to recover the necessary files.
A virtual server should be used to test the server’s
disk image for validity. This confirms that the structure is in place to
recover either using a virtual machine at an IT disaster recovery specialist or
on the company’s server should that become necessary.
Data is
backed up locally and in the cloud, in case the local office is compromised.
Restoring Systems Quickly
Thanks to
the use of disk images, it’s possible to restore either the missing or
corrupted files, or the entire server, as needed. The length of time for the
recovery depends on the extent of the problem and whether wiping the server and
restoring data in its entirety is required.
The
backed-up files can also be accessed via virtualization through a disaster
recovery specialist. This is useful when the server hardware is compromised or
no longer functioning properly. In which case, a replicated, virtual version of
the backed-up server is made available for staff to access remotely. This
solution provides a fallback option should the server hardware need to be
replaced, which will take days to do.
Disaster
recovery is an essential service for any business that takes continuity at all
seriously. While it’s possible to provide some of the provisions in-house, the
risk is that a lack of attention or mixing of systems could render the recovery
option moot. At this point, it’s too late to come up with a viable Plan B to
save the company. By using professional disaster recovery specialists with the
right systems in place, businesses protect themselves from a worst-case
scenario. As the old adage goes: Failing to plan is planning to fail. Words
never so true when it comes to business continuity planning.
