Category: Hybrid Cloud

Organizations in different industries rely on cloud backups to secure critical business data. In recent years, backup to the cloud has evolved into an easy, flexible and effective technology. The two most common cloud backup strategies are multi-cloud backup and hybrid cloud backup. 

However, backups on their own are not enough for data safety. In this post, we describe the two strategies and then provide recommendations that help you build a secure cloud backup system. 

What is Multi-Cloud Backup? 

The multi-cloud backup strategy refers to sending backup data to multiple public clouds of various cloud vendors. This allows organizations to ensure data redundancy and availability while also avoiding a single point of failure in case the original data is lost. Additionally, you can benefit from the cost flexibility of multi-cloud backups, as most vendors offer a pay-as-you-go model.

Proprietary features that enable you to conveniently copy and store data in the cloud are usually available. However, organizations need swift recovery in addition to the backup functionality, which may not be the case for all cloud vendors. Organizing an effective and convenient multi-cloud backup system requires expertise, time and effort from your IT team. 

Lastly, storing all your backups in the cloud can result in slower recovery compared to local backups. Also, cloud backups remain available only when your network connection is up and running.

What is Hybrid Cloud Backup?

A hybrid cloud backup approach utilizes both on-premise and cloud storage as backup repositories. Compared to the multi-cloud strategy, hybrid cloud storage provides additional flexibility and recoverability in exchange for increased complexity and cost. 

To implement hybrid cloud backup, you first need to organize on-premise storage with appropriate high-performance hardware, cooling and maintenance. Secondly, you have to pay for the cloud storage volume required to fit your data backups. And finally, you need to pick a reliable and functional hybrid cloud backup solution to enable and maintain data protection workflows. 

Choosing a suitable data protection solution can be challenging as there are multiple nuances and specifics to consider. You might want to learn more about setting up hybrid cloud backup before you start implementing your system.

Best Practices for Secure Cloud Backup

Creating and maintaining backups does not make your organization’s data secure by default. This additional data copy can be a target for ransomware or malware. Moreover, cybercriminals prioritize data backups when planning their attacks.

Backups require thorough protection to ensure data recoverability. Below you can find several recommendations to enhance backup security. The security best practices mentioned below can help you protect backups with both multi-cloud and hybrid cloud strategies.  

Know your data

First, know and prioritize the data you want to back up. When you are aware of the volume and type of data you need to protect, you can build up your workflows according to recovery point and recovery time objectives. Additionally, consider prioritizing your data so you back up critical assets first. 

Define your cloud backup strategy

Should you implement a multi-cloud or a hybrid cloud backup strategy? Your choice defines the system’s capabilities, costs and management specifics. In addition, the chosen strategy sets the qualification requirements for the IT team. 

A multi-cloud strategy can be more cost-efficient to start with. On the other hand, hybrid cloud data protection adds more reliability for a higher price and increased infrastructure complexity. Consider your data volumes and security priorities along with hardware and network performance to make the choice that suits your organization the most.

Pick suitable cloud provider(s)

The data backup and recovery capabilities of the available cloud providers can vary. Some can have the latest integration features that simplify building multi-cloud systems. Others can provide advanced data protection and recovery functions that add resilience and improve RTOs. The solution is to check the offers available on the market and pick the cloud provider (or providers) suitable for your strategy, infrastructure, expectations and budget.  

Encrypt backup data

In 2024, storing unencrypted data means exposing your digital assets to malicious actors. You can organize an encrypted cloud backup storage in Amazon, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure, among other providers. 

However, you might also want to encrypt backup data “in flight” (during transfer). Additionally, your local backups should also be encrypted in case a hybrid cloud backup is your choice. Consider using a specialized data protection solution to enable backup encryption in all your data transfers and repositories.  

Implement anti-ransomware capabilities

Ransomware is an ongoing and evolving threat worldwide, and backups are priority targets for hackers. The most advanced cloud providers, such as Amazon or Microsoft, enable you to set immutability periods for repositories. Immutability protects the data in a repository from alteration or deletion, thus preventing ransomware encryption. 

Modern data backup and recovery solutions such as NAKIVO Backup & Replication can enable you to set immutability in on-premise and cloud repositories. Even in the worst-case scenario, when ransomware successfully infiltrates backup repositories, immutable backups remain usable for recovery. Integrating immutability along with threat monitoring and regular antivirus solutions into backup protection workflows can help you ensure regulatory compliance and avoid paying ransoms.

Optimize resource consumption

Modern data protection solutions can provide shorter backup windows and cut cloud storage costs with deduplication and compression features. Additionally, compressed and deduplicated backups can offload your networks when running backup workflows. This is especially beneficial when transferring large volumes of data to public cloud repositories.   

Implement thorough backup testing

The worst time to discover that your backups are unrecoverable is when the original data is already lost or unavailable. Consider implementing regular backup testing as a part of your data protection strategy. You can conduct a test upon completion of every backup workflow and perform a global recovery review at specific times.

Modern hybrid and multi-cloud backup solutions enable recovery testing on demand and by schedule. Additionally, you can run test workflows without impacting production environments. 

Restrict access to backups

Role-based access control (RBAC) and multi-factor authentication are efficient security practices that significantly improve the resilience of accounts and infrastructures. Consider using these common approaches to enhance the protection of your backup repositories and restrict access to data protection workflows.

Prepare a DR plan

A DR (disaster recovery) plan includes IT-related steps that your staff undertakes when a global incident happens. You might want to organize a disaster recovery team and share responsibilities with qualified workers to increase IT recovery efficiency. 

Last but not least, modern infrastructures with hybrid or multi-cloud backups require custom data recovery sequences, which may be complicated to compose. However, you can meet shorter recovery time objectives after planning and automating such workflows beforehand for different disaster cases. 

Conclusion

Multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud backup strategies enable higher data protection reliability and flexibility compared to other backup methods. Although the strategies are different from each other, you can use similar security practices to enhance data security and recoverability. Consider using a third-party backup solution with data encryption, ransomware protection, resource optimization, backup testing, access restriction and disaster recovery planning capabilities to implement multi-level backup and recovery workflows.

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In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, where the digitization of patient records and sensitive data is paramount, the need for robust cybersecurity measures has become more critical than ever. One innovative approach gaining momentum in the healthcare sector is the adoption of hybrid cloud solutions. In this article, we explore how hybrid cloud technology is playing a pivotal role in managing and fortifying cybersecurity in the healthcare industry.

The Complex Cybersecurity Challenges in Healthcare

Healthcare organizations are prime targets for cyber threats due to the vast amount of sensitive information they handle, including patient records, billing details, and medical histories. The consequences of a data breach in healthcare are not only financial but can also compromise patient safety and privacy.

Traditional on-premise IT infrastructures often struggle to keep pace with the evolving threat landscape, making it imperative for healthcare institutions to explore advanced solutions. This is where hybrid cloud architecture steps in, offering a dynamic and secure environment for managing cybersecurity challenges effectively.

Enhanced Data Protection and Encryption

One of the key advantages of hybrid cloud solutions in healthcare cybersecurity is the ability to implement advanced data protection and encryption measures. By utilizing a combination of on-premise servers and cloud-based services, healthcare providers can create a multi-layered security approach. This ensures that sensitive patient data is encrypted not only during storage but also during transit between on-premise servers and cloud platforms, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

Scalability and Flexibility

Hybrid cloud environments provide healthcare organizations with unparalleled scalability and flexibility. As the volume of patient data continues to grow, healthcare providers can seamlessly scale their infrastructure by leveraging the cloud. This scalability ensures that cybersecurity measures can adapt to the evolving needs of the organization without compromising on performance.

Redundancy and Disaster Recovery

Cybersecurity in healthcare goes beyond preventing data breaches; it also involves ensuring rapid recovery in the event of an unforeseen incident. Hybrid cloud solutions offer built-in redundancy and robust disaster recovery capabilities. By replicating critical data and applications across both on-premise and cloud environments, healthcare organizations can minimize downtime and ensure continuity of operations even in the face of cyber threats.

Advanced Threat Detection and Monitoring

Hybrid cloud environments empower healthcare providers with advanced threat detection and monitoring tools. By integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, these solutions can identify and respond to potential cybersecurity threats in real-time. The ability to analyze patterns and anomalies across both on-premise and cloud-based systems enhances the overall security posture of healthcare organizations.

Regulatory Compliance

Healthcare is a highly regulated industry, with stringent compliance requirements such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) in the United States. Hybrid cloud solutions are designed to facilitate regulatory compliance by providing the necessary security controls and audit trails. This ensures that healthcare providers can meet the standards set by regulatory bodies while harnessing the benefits of cloud technology.

Conclusion

In the face of escalating cyber threats, healthcare organizations must proactively embrace innovative solutions to safeguard patient data and maintain the trust of their stakeholders. Hybrid cloud technology emerges as a strategic ally in the realm of healthcare cybersecurity, offering a comprehensive and adaptive approach to protect against evolving threats. As the industry continues to prioritize digital transformation, the integration of hybrid cloud solutions will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in ensuring a resilient and secure healthcare ecosystem.

The post Leveraging Hybrid Cloud Solutions for Enhanced Cybersecurity in Healthcare appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.

In today’s digital world, businesses are increasingly adopting hybrid cloud solutions to harness the benefits of both public and private cloud infrastructures. While hybrid cloud offers unprecedented flexibility and scalability, it also introduces complex challenges in securing sensitive data across these diverse environments. This article delves into essential strategies and best practices for effectively safeguarding data across hybrid cloud architectures.

Comprehensive Data Encryption: One of the fundamental steps in protecting data across hybrid cloud environments is implementing end-to-end encryption. This entails encrypting data both at rest and in transit. Utilizing encryption mechanisms ensures that even if data is intercepted, it remains unintelligible to unauthorized individuals. Employ industry-standard encryption protocols and manage encryption keys securely to maintain data confidentiality.

Robust Identity and Access Management (IAM): Implementing a robust IAM framework is crucial for managing user identities, roles, and permissions across the hybrid cloud. Apply the principle of least privilege (PoLP) to grant users only the permissions they require for their tasks. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security by necessitating multiple forms of verification for accessing critical resources.

Data Classification and Segmentation: Categorize data based on its sensitivity and criticality. Apply appropriate security controls and policies based on data classifications. Segmenting data into different security zones helps in isolating critical assets and limiting lateral movement in case of a breach. This approach mitigates the potential impact of a security incident.

Consistent Security Policies: Maintain consistent security policies across all cloud environments within the hybrid setup. This includes public and private clouds as well as on-premises infrastructure. Automated policy enforcement guarantees that security configurations remain uniform and aligned with compliance requirements.

Regular Monitoring and Auditing: Implement continuous monitoring of all activities within the hybrid cloud environment. Utilize intrusion detection systems (IDS) and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to identify and thwart suspicious activities. Regular audits and log analysis help in identifying potential vulnerabilities or anomalies, allowing for timely corrective actions.

Data Backup and Recovery: Backup data regularly and ensure that backups are securely stored across both cloud environments. Establish a robust disaster recovery plan that outlines procedures for data restoration in case of data loss or breaches. Regularly test the recovery process to ensure its effectiveness.

Vendor Security Assessment: When using third-party services or solutions within the hybrid cloud environment, conduct thorough security assessments of vendors. Evaluate their security protocols, data handling practices, and compliance standards. Ensure that any third-party services adhere to your organization’s security standards.

Employee Training and Awareness: Educate employees about the importance of security in hybrid cloud environments. Offer training on recognizing phishing attempts, best practices for data handling, and the potential risks associated with cloud computing. An informed workforce is a critical line of defense against social engineering attacks.

Conclusion:

As organizations continue to adopt hybrid cloud architectures, securing data across these complex environments becomes paramount. By implementing a combination of encryption, robust access controls, data classification, consistent policies, monitoring, and other best practices, businesses can fortify their hybrid cloud security posture. Adapting a proactive and holistic approach ensures that data remains safe, even in the face of evolving cyber threats.

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