Online Cloud Storage Immune to Cryptolocker?

[Tony Cole]

Hi

I've read online that Cryptolocker/other variants will also damage online file backups, is this true, if so what cloud storage software is immune to this???

Tony

 

[kiric96]

no one as they automatically synchronize with the cloud, as soon you modify something it will begin the sync process... you cant avoid that by just opening the program in the right moment only when needed

 

[Nico@FMA]

Hi

I've read online that Cryptolocker/other variants will also damage online file backups, is this true, if so what cloud storage software is immune to this???

Tony

No online cloud storage is not protected against Cryptolocker type of malware. This due to the very fact that at one of my clients who actually did have ANTI Cryptolocker security protecting the companies cloud. It failed on several occasions.
Now i am not saying that every single cloud provider is vulnerable to Cryptolocker, but out of the top of my head i have not yet come across a provider that has a solid standoff against Crypt type malwares.
Now this has to be taken with a grain of salt as there are actually a few Cryptolocker versions that can be detected and stopped using various protection methods commonly found across Cloud and Big data storage providers, yet my own company has various clients that got affected by Crypt malware while using state of the art third party security.
However as the Crypto family gets more known i think that you will see the levels of security grow rapidly as Crypto type of malware do pose a serious danger to file storage and data carriers.

Now while this is a older article it does highlight something about online storage and Crypt type malware.
Just for the sake of the topic i will post the link yet it comes from a so so cloud provider yet the info is accurate.

Are Cloud Providers Immune from CryptoLocker?
Not a chance. CryptoLocker makes changes to your files and if you use a backup service that scans in real-time or on a set schedule and you are infected then these new ‘changes’ will be noticed by the backup client and start to upload the new changes. Many providers including us do offer file versioning so not all will be lost if you upload an affected file. You can always download an older version of the file and get back to normal. If you happen to use a backup provider that archives files and does not make changes on the fly then you will also be good to go from a cloud provider.

I personally do not know any cloud provider that would be immune to crypt, but i venture to say that most A+ grade providers will at least have some data protection and back up options that would minimize damage done by crypt type of malwares. And probably in some cases they offer secondary storage that cannot be affected by cryptolocker (Snapshot datastreaming) but thats going to cost big dollars.

Cheers

 

[Tony Cole]

Hi Nico@FMA

Thank you very much for the info. It's terrible that online storage is not immune to such malware but now thinking about how cloud storage works i.e., real time sync I can see why it offers no protection to backed-up files. I will just keep my file(s) backed-up to a external hard drive.

Tony

P.S. congratulations on becoming a Trusted Member!

 

[Ink]

Online storage should not be used for backup purposes.

However, that doesn't mean to not the services for productivity or file sharing (personal or business), as synced files can save you a lot of time when working between your PC, tablet or mobile device, home or away.

Keep data files copies on an external or portable hard drive, or USB stick - as a form of backup.