Asigra Inc., a leading cloud backup, recovery and restore software provider since 1986 announced its latest release v14 “Cloud Backup Evolved” to address the growing challenges of modern data protection. The company’s newest generation of software converges data protection and cyber security to counter rapidly growing malware threats, including ransomware Attack-Loops, which target backup data to prevent successful recoveries to force a ransom payment.
The impact of ransomware on corporate data can be extremely disruptive and can impact organizations both operationally and financially. According to the findings in a report by Symantec, hackers stole $172 billion from people in 2017. The leading technique used to extort money was malware – including attacks by ransomware and cryptojacking.
While proper employee training and preventative IT security measures are necessary to securing the corporate network, the last line of defense is the protection of recovery data from what is now termed ransomware Attack-Loops. An Attack-Loop occurs when hackers insert executable code within the organization’s backup data. When an attack occurs, both primary and secondary data are impacted, preventing the possibility of a clean recovery. To hide the code in the backup set, hackers insert the malware into data objects and other techniques which are backed up and stored in the company’s secondary storage repository. After a time-delayed detonation, the company restores a pre-attack generation of data only to realize that the recovery data re-inserts the ransomware in to the network, recreating the ransomware for a perpetual loop of attacks.
Asigra Cloud Backup Evolved is version 14 of the company’s popular software. The new platform converges data protection and IT security for effective malware detection that ensures safe, secure and reliable backup and data recovery. The enhanced platform includes the industry’s first zero-day Attack-Loop preventative technology using bi-directional malware detection, zero-day exploit protection, variable repository naming, and two-factor authentication (2FA) for a full defensive suite against advanced ransomware and other cyber-attacks on backup data. This is complemented by FIPS 140-2 certification and military-grade data encryption to ensure enterprise-class data security.
Asigra Cloud Backup Evolved is version 14 of the company’s widely deployed cloud backup software platform. The technology enables organizations to efficiently and cost-effectively manage the modern data protection requirements impacting organizations today. New capabilities include:
∑ Zero-day Attack-Loop prevention;
∑ New responsive Management Console (MC) in 104 languages with RESTful APIs to simplify and personalize automated data management across multi-platform operating environments;
∑ General Data Protection Requirement (GDPR) compliance with Articles 6, 17, 25, and 32;
∑ Instant Recovery and Enablement;
∑ Industry-first data protection for o365 Groups, and
∑ Container-based deployment and protection.
Asigra’s Cloud Backup Evolved includes powerful GDPR compliance enabling features. While the pending regulation requires companies to delete data at the request of the consumer citizen, including from backups, many organizations lack the ability to easily perform this operation. The long term retention of image based backups common with many backup platforms requires manually intensive processes. With Asigra Cloud Backup Evolved, businesses can delete backup data efficiently and in any generation to meet GDPR compliance requirements. It is then possible to provide consumers with a certificate as evidence, forming part of an Effective Response to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in Europe.
“With more than 32 years of innovation and a focus on secure, compliant cloud-based data recovery, we are looking forward as data infrastructures evolve,” said Eran Farajun, EVP, Asigra. “The development team at Asigra remains focused on this area, supporting backup requirements for today’s highly distributed, multi-platform organizations. As emerging technology trends have created new challenges and opportunities, we will continue to innovate in support of and together with our global ecosystem of partners and customers.”
