Advice Request Backup and Recovery Tools with Built-in Ransomware Protection

[HarborFront]

Criteria

- For home user
- A few external SSDs/HDDs
- Network and cloud protection not involved

Programs Shortlisted

I’ll be using Bitdefender Total Security as my main AV/AM so MS Defender AV will be disabled with the Controlled Folder Access(CFA) as well. There are many ransomware backup solutions, and most of them can keep your files secure. However, some third-party programs are offering built-in ransomware protection of backups. Backups(images) can be infected with ransomware even if they are encrypted or write-protected as long as the drive is online/connected/mounted. Encrypted/password-protected files/drives can be encrypted again (secondary encryption) by ransomware.

1) Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office – Essentials
Comes with real-time ransomware protection. Problem is that its ransomware protection may interferes with the main system AV/AM’s ransomware protection. And no cloud backup and storage feature

Reliable and secure backup software for your home and office

Acronis ensures reliable backup for your home and office. Simplify backup management and enjoy seamless recovery options with our comprehensive solution.

www.acronis.com

2) Macrium Reflect Home – Macrium Image Guardian
It works by granting write access to Macrium Reflect (v.7.1 and later) and related Macrium imaging tools only. This means that it’s impossible for any unauthorized modifications - like encryption by ransomware software - to take place.

Macrium Image Guardian

Image Guardian works by only granting write-access to Macrium Reflect. This makes unauthorized modifications impossible; including encryption by ransomware

www.macrium.com

3) EaseUS ToDo Backup
This is the only program you can find today that offers a secret partition to keep your data secure. This type of partition is encrypted and can only be accessed by you using password authentication.

It's called "Security Zone". Because Security Zone is a secret partition that keeps your data safe and secure in the shape of an image file. This partition is encrypted by advanced means that can only be explored or modified by the user that creates it. Furthermore, it protects backups from any sort of ransomware or malicious malware.

Not only ensures thorough safety and security of your data but ensures a backup that nobody but you can access. This special partition is kept separate from other files, so no sort of hardware or software failure will affect it either.

It has provision to backup data to 3rd-party cloud drive or subscribe to EaseUS cloud drive service.

Ransomware-proof Backup Solutions in 2024

Ransomware is a growing problem for a lot of people, and this article defines its dangers and how you can secure your data from its attacks.

www.easeus.com

Can please advise

1) Which offers the best in reliability for restore?
2) Which built-in ransomware protection is the best?
3) Any other which is better than the above-mentioned?

Thanks

 

[silversurfer]

For me it's worth to purchase a license of Macrium Reflect Home, this software is well-known for reliability to restore your full system.
Macrium Image Guardian does protect well your stored system images on your disk drive or even on external drive, Ransomware can't access!

 

[WhiteMouse]

I got 4 Macrium licenses for $65 on Black friday, and I got right before new version out so I get upgrade for free. A major version of Macrium is usually from 5 to 6 years, and even when Paramount release a new version, they still provide update for the previous version for one year. The person who want to upgrade doesn't have to wait till Black Friday to get 50% off.

 

[Jonny Quest]

And for the other side of the coin, I found EaseUS Backup Home to be more user-friendly in my case. I bought 7 keys last month for my business and personal PCs.
So far I've cloned 5 back-ups to external SSD's (870 EVO), without any problems that I know of (successful). 2 drives were HHD's that were cloned and swapped out for the
SSD's and are running great on those Windows 10 PC's. I especially wanted to have cloned drives for those PC's as the hardware wasn't compatible with Windows 11, so I can run those PC"s until they die. (won't need to worry about future updates, as those PC's are more task orientated than for online use).

And I know Macrium has a great history and following. As far as Acronis, I will never use Acronis, IMO its become bloated from the times I used it years ago when it was more basic, and simplistic but did its job.

As far as ransomware protection, all the cloned drives are on the shelf, and all my other backups are to WD USB drives that get unplugged after the manual backup.

 

[HarborFront]

For me it's worth to purchase a license of Macrium Reflect Home, this software is well-known for reliability to restore your full system.
Macrium Image Guardian does protect well your stored system images on your disk drive or even on external drive, Ransomware can't access!

Do you know whether Macrium Reflect Home has provision to backup data to 3rd-party cloud drive or its own cloud drive?

 

[Jonny Quest]

I don't know if this is helpful, but showed up in this morning's update.

 

[HarborFront]

From what I know once ransomeware has taken control of your PC it'll encrypt (and with other devious purpose) where it can write. So offline drives and cloud drive are protected........sort of.

The ransomware can remain dormant in the encrypted offline and cloud drives until restoration takes place when the drive is mounted.

However, with the 3 methods mentioned, as long as the drive is mounted ransomware will just add a second layer of encryption over it making your data irrecoverable without the decryptor key. Looks like I'm wrong here.........correct me if I'm wrong.

So what granting write access, having secret partition etc are useful to recover your data without the decryptor key?

 

[silversurfer]

Do you know whether Macrium Reflect Home has provision to backup data to 3rd-party cloud drive or its own cloud drive?

Probably not yet, but you could take a look to this thread on Macrium Support Forum:

Cloud Backup

forum.macrium.com

From what I know once ransomeware has taken control of your PC it'll encrypt (and with other devious purpose) where it can write. So offline drives and cloud drive are protected........sort of.

Here what happens when youself or Ransomware would try to fiddle with any of Macrium image files:

 

[HarborFront]

Probably not yet, but you could take a look to this thread on Macrium Support Forum:

Cloud Backup

forum.macrium.com

Here what happens when youself or Ransomware would try to fiddle with any of Macrium image files:

View attachment 275425

So for now EaseUS ToDo Backup is one up of Macrium Reflect for it has a provision to back up to your cloud

I wonder how EaseUS ToDo Backup secret partition works when subject to a ransomware attack? Would there be a notification like Macrium Image Guardian above as posted by @silversurfer ? @Jonny Quest do you know?

 

[Jonny Quest]

So for now EaseUS ToDo Backup is one up of Macrium Reflect for it has a provision to back up to your cloud

I wonder how EaseUS ToDo Backup secret partition works when subject to a ransomware attack? Would there be a notification like Macrium Image Guardian above as posted by @silversurfer ? @Jonny Quest do you know?

I don't know, I'm still new to it and haven't done any research. Maybe someone else will have some helpful information for you.

 

[HarborFront]

@silversurfer

There's a comparison between Macrium Reflect and EaseUS ToDo Backup below

EaseUS Todo Backup vs. Macrium Reflect

EaseUS Todo Backup vs. Macrium Reflect, which is better in creating a system image or a data backup? Understand the features, pros and cons of each software and make a decision.

www.easeus.com

Do you agree with the comparison or you have anything that Macrium Reflect is better than EaseUS ToDo Backup? Like to listen on your Macrium Reflect.

 

[silversurfer]

@silversurfer

There's a comparison between Macrium Reflect and EaseUS ToDo Backup below

EaseUS Todo Backup vs. Macrium Reflect

EaseUS Todo Backup vs. Macrium Reflect, which is better in creating a system image or a data backup? Understand the features, pros and cons of each software and make a decision.

www.easeus.com

Do you agree with the comparison or you have anything that Macrium Reflect is better than EaseUS ToDo Backup? Like to listen on your Macrium Reflect.

Well, this comparison is made by EaseUS,
so it’s clear they mention more advantage

I would say, cloud backup is what missing on Macrium Reflect, another point the free version will be discontinued at the end of this year 2023.

EaseUS does offer lifetime license, according to this link you shared…

 

[Freki123]

They don't mention that macrium has Rapid Delta Restore. Which for me is the feature I bought it for. I like macriums fast restores since I use it like rollback rx
Edit: I think they also missed to mention macriums boot menu for rescue (atleast in the comparison at the end).

 

[Dave Russo]

I am also a. Macrium user,and after many times of getting computer problems I do not like Acronis at all,Macriums protection never interfered and restore has never failed me(I use it 3-4 times a year)ever since using the verify.after every backup

 

[franz]

I have used Macrium for several years and thought it was the fastest of these programs, but I was wrong. Not only was AOMEI faster but really easier to use. When I want to restore an image, I only need to show the AOMEI image file and it does the rest by itself. It restarts, puts the image back, and starts again and this is done before I can't make myself coffee. AOMEI is an incredible program now. Creating an image is lightning fast to. I used AOMEI years ago but didn't like it then. I have AOMEI Pro lifetime.

 

[HarborFront]

They don't mention that macrium has Rapid Delta Restore. Which for me is the feature I bought it for. I like macriums fast restores since I use it like rollback rx
Edit: I think they also missed to mention macriums boot menu for rescue (atleast in the comparison at the end).

Yes, RDR was not mentioned. And the speed which the program backups and restores also differs which I have not mentioned too

 

[HarborFront]

I have used Macrium for several years and thought it was the fastest of these programs, but I was wrong. Not only was AOMEI faster but really easier to use. When I want to restore an image, I only need to show the AOMEI image file and it does the rest by itself. It restarts, puts the image back, and starts again and this is done before I can't make myself coffee. AOMEI is an incredible program now. Creating an image is lightning fast to. I used AOMEI years ago but didn't like it then. I have AOMEI Pro lifetime.

I have checked on AOEMI. If I'm not wrong it does NOT comes with built-in ransomware protection. Also, it backups to its own AOEMI cloud only. Looks like need to pay for it. I think cannot backup to your own cloud.

So I did not shortlist it.

 

[HarborFront]

The below link shows a detailed features comparison table (scroll go the way down). No mention of cloud backup. Good for reference

To summarise, Macrium Reflect is features rich. Well,, cloud backup can be done by backing the image to a drive and sync to your own cloud. Not an issue here.

Macrium Reflect vs. EaseUS Todo Backup Home - Windows 10 Help Forums

EaseUS Todo Backup Home vs. Macrium Reflect Which one do you think is the best backup tool? And why? Feel free to leave your experience and thoughts on these two tools. Any info would be appreciated!

www.tenforums.com

 

[piquiteco]

For me, because of the ransomware protection I use acronis in addition to protecting from these pests acronis active protection does its job, the backup is fast, and the restore too and the image file is relatively small, and I even have a recovery partition that I created and use acronis since the 2010 version. And I have never had any problems so far.

Spoiler

 

[HarborFront]

For me, because of the ransomware protection I use acronis in addition to protecting from these pests acronis active protection does its job, the backup is fast, and the restore too and the image file is relatively small, and I even have a recovery partition that I created and use acronis since the 2010 version. And I have never had any problems so far.

Spoiler

View attachment 275440

Are you using the Essentials version which comes with only ransomware protection? Or the more expensive version with malware and ransomware protection?

For both versions will the ransomware feature clash with your main AV/AM's ransomware feature?