You're able to win the fight against ransomware! How? BACKUP!

[hjlbx]

...making backups frequently seems to be the only way to protect your data agains ransomware

The only true way to protect data is not to allow any unknown\untrusted executable file types to execute on your system in the first place - and these doesn't even take into consideration network security. Protecting the physical system is only 1/2 of the security equation; the other 1/2 is network security (and I don't just mean installing a firewall).

Backups are truly the very last line of defense -- meaning you rely upon them only when every other protection mechanism has failed.

 

[frogboy]

The only true way to protect data is not to allow any unknown\untrusted executable file types to execute on your system in the first place - and these doesn't even take into consideration network security. Protecting the physical system is only 1/2 of the security equation; the other 1/2 is network security (and I don't just mean installing a firewall).

Backups are truly the very last line of defense -- meaning you rely upon them only when every other protection mechanism has failed.

For non experts like me and others backups should maybe not the first line of defense but right up there at the top and certainly not the last line of defense.

 

[hjlbx]

For non experts like me and others backups should maybe not the first line of defense but right up there at the top and certainly not the last line of defense.

They are the last line of defense for everyone. System image restore and backups are somewhat unreliable; they often fail users when they are most needed.

 

[frogboy]

They are the last line of defense for everyone. System image restore and backups are somewhat unreliable; they often fail users when they are most needed.

Somewhat unreliable i would have to argue that point as i have restored my machines countless number of times with Macrium Reflect and or Aomei Backupper due mainly to making dumb system changes during my learning curve with computers without one single failure so so far for me 100% accurate form of recovery.

 

[hjlbx]

Somewhat unreliable i would have to argue that point as i have restored my machines countless number of times with Macrium Reflect and or Aomei Backupper due mainly to making dumb system changes during my learning curve with computers without one single failure so so far for me 100% accurate form of recovery.

System image restores and backups have about the same failure rate as Windows Update = a relatively small percentage number, but still a huge absolute number because there are many millions of users.

Small % failure rate among backup\restore soft users (let's say 5 % = 0.05) X 50,000,000 users (estimate) = 2,500,000 failures of some sort.

There are a lot of variables -- so what is true for one user might not be true for another.

Like with anything IT, if a user adopts a image\backup strategy then they really should test their solution(s) of choice.

But you know... how many users will actually put forth that effort -- only to find out it doesn't work when it is most needed ?

 

[frogboy]

System image restores and backups have about the same failure rate as Windows Update.

There are a lot of variables -- so what is true for one user might not be true for another.

Like with anything IT, if a user adopts a image\backup strategy then they really should test their solution(s) of choice.

But you know... how many users will actually put forth that effort -- only to find out it doesn't work when it is most needed ?

I give up and surrender, not worth the effort to argue a point with you.

 

[LabZero]

They are the last line of defense for everyone. System image restore and backups are somewhat unreliable; they often fail users when they are most needed.

Respectfully I do not agree.
A proper backup strategy is the only true guarantee and the first line of defense, considering the utility of a rigorous prevention, but to prevent every ransomware attack is impossible.
A disaster recovery plan is simple, now fully reliable and technically accessible to all. It ensures, in the case of attack, to reset or decrease the damage by reinstalling the data from the last useful backup.

 

[hjlbx]

I give up and surrender, not worth the effort to argue a point with you.

My argument is that none of the solutions that are available to any of us are absolutely reliable.

There is a lot of advice to backup, but very little discussion about all the pitfalls and failures.

All one needs to do is visit one of the backup\image solution vendor forums and it will become immediately apparent that there are a LOT of users that experience major malfunctions with their backup solution of choice.

 

[hjlbx]

A disaster recovery plan is simple, now fully reliable and technically accessible to all. It ensures, in the case of attack, to reset or decrease the damage by reinstalling the data from the last useful backup.

In the field experience has proven to me many times that recovery is:

• Not fully reliable

That's just my observation after seeing more than just a handful of failures.

That being said, backup is essential but at the same time one cannot expect a 100 % guarantee that image restore\backup will work reliably.

 

[frogboy]

My argument is that none of the solutions that are available to any of us are absolutely reliable.

There is a lot of advice to backup, but very little discussion about all the pitfalls and failures.

All one needs to do is visit one of the backup\image solution vendor forums and it will become immediately apparent that there are a LOT of users that experience major malfunctions with their backup solution of choice.

I backup with two different solutions in two different locations and in five and a bit years have never had one fail on me yet, to me that is mostly reliable i cannot see how it is not.

 

[LabZero]

In the field experience has proven to me many times that recovery is:

• Not fully reliable

That's just my observation after seeing more than just a handful of failures.

That being said, backup is essential but at the same time one cannot expect a 100 % guarantee that image restore\backup will work reliably.

Sorry but I cannot find any concrete evidence in this statement.
The risk/benefit ratio leans towards this last one.

 

[hjlbx]

Sorry but I cannot find any concrete evidence in this statement.
The risk/benefit ratio leans towards this last one.

Backup strategy for those that have data which they wish to save permanently is important; I did not state nor imply image restore\backup should not be used.

What I advocate is adopt a backup strategy (of course I use one = Macrium Reflect) - but before you "bank on it and expect dividends" - make sure your solution of choice works.

* * * * *

The only evidence I need are my own two eyes. What works on your system isn't going to work on everyone else's system - especially on older hardware.

Like I said, go to any image restore\backup vendor forum and just take a gander at the many problem reports and requests for support -- and especially take a look at the Enterprise sub-forum if the vendor has one that is publicly viewable.

* * * * *

There's a lot of attitude "It works for me, so it should work for everyone else..." The operative word is should. However, one has to take reality for what it is - and that reality is that there are failure rates associated with everything IT.

 

[hjlbx]

I backup with two different solutions in two different locations and in five and a bit years have never had one fail on me yet, to me that is mostly reliable i cannot see how it is not.

What works for you isn't going to work for every other user on the planet.

There are failure rates with all softs. Most vendors just don't track those failure rates - let alone publish those statistics.

 

[Lucent Warrior]

I can honestly state i have seen system images corrupted and fail as well as back ups. I am dealing with many more the one or two systems though on a daily basis. It is why when i back my system up, i have multiple backs ups, and even a back up of those multiple back ups.

On to the topic, focused on ransomware, would be based on personal files, documents, not system back ups. These i also make back ups to my back ups, placing one copy on a flash drive, another on a dvd, the life span of DVD's and flash drives is not infinite.

 

[LabZero]

What works for you isn't going to work for every other user on the planet.

There are failure rates with all softs. Most vendors just don't track those failure rates - let alone publish those statistics.

Personally I never had corruption problems with my multiple backups but of course it is possible, even if in a diversification context, it is not likely.

Backup means also store data on cloud services as an alternative solution, by encrypting them before uploading.

 

[hjlbx]

If you have valuable data, then backup is essential.

Verify that your chosen solutions work - don't wait until it is "too little, too late !"

I know that the previous sentence is common sense, but everyone here who is a regular member should have at least some inkling that the vast majority of users never make that connection nor put forth the effort.

Backups:

• Cloud
• Flash drive
• Other media

 

[_CyberGhosT_]

With my cloning I always boot into the drive once before storing, to verify that the clone was successful, even after Macrium tells me it was.
Just to "verify" I have followed this method without fail, and "with out fail" 100% of the time that clone has booted.
Point taken but my backups have proven time and again more trustworthy than my common sense and most AV solutions

 

[hjlbx]

What's everybody going to do when ransomware that locks the user out of the BIOS, Safe Mode, all external drives, etc surfaces ?

Such ransomware is being developed now... it's just a matter of time before it is released into the wild.

 

[Lucent Warrior]

What's everybody going to do when ransomware that locks the user out of the BIOS, Safe Mode, all external drives, etc surfaces ?

Such ransomware is being developed now... it's just a matter of time before it is released into the wild.

I have the answer to this, don't allow it in to begin with.

 

[hjlbx]

I have the answer to this, don't allow it in to begin with.

Just sayin'...

This is not difficult...