Evolving strategies essential amidst AI-driven cyber threats

Recent expert commentary highlights the need for businesses to evolve their backup strategies in response to AI-driven cyber threats, particularly ransomware.

Matt Aldridge, Senior Principal Solutions Consultant at OpenText Cybersecurity, detailed the longstanding importance of data backups in maintaining cybersecurity resilience amidst growing cyber threats and disasters. According to Aldridge, the acceleration of data creation and cyber threats through AI necessitates evolved backup strategies. He emphasised, "World Backup Day is the perfect opportunity for organisations to reassess their data protection approach, not just backing up data, but ensuring they are safeguarding the right data in a way that enhances security and compliance."

The findings from OpenText Cybersecurity's 2024 Ransomware Survey underscored the heightened prevalence of cyberattacks. Aldridge noted the rising incidence of ransomware, pointing out that 69% of businesses experiencing ransomware attacks saw an increase in phishing attempts and 55% believe AI-driven threats increase their risk. He cautioned, "If tech giants are being successfully targeted, no organisation—regardless of size or sector, is immune."

Additionally, Aldridge highlighted the significance of supply chain security, with 62% of organisations affected by ransomware reporting such incidents originating from supply chain partners. In response, 90% of these businesses are focusing on collaboration with software suppliers to boost security practices. He remarked, "This underscores the need for organisations to go beyond internal defences and consider the broader ecosystem when evaluating their backup and cybersecurity strategies."

The role of employee awareness and education as a primary defence mechanism was also stress-tested by Aldridge, as he encouraged organisations to "regularly test and rehearse cyberattack scenarios." This approach, he advocated, ensures prompt and precise threat containment during data breaches.

Pierre Noel, Field CISO EMEA at Expel, addressed the necessity of maintaining solid backup hygiene, with a particular emphasis on immutable backups. He mentioned, "Good old backup hygiene is (and has always been) a key element to your security. Nowadays, backups serve as a strong layer of protection against ransomware, the most prominent cybersecurity attack-type."

Noel elaborated on the concept of immutable backups—backups that remain unaffected by ransomware—and the need to prevent users from saving documents locally. He explained the benefits of shared drives to ensure computers do not contain sensitive information and are, therefore, safe to wipe clean in case of an attack.

Noel further commented on the importance of proactive threat prevention, stating, "Of course, the best defence against ransomware is to stop the attackers before they get into your environment—and that involves practicing good security hygiene, and the visibility to spot threats before they become successful attacks."

The expert insights provided by Aldridge and Noel underscore the critical importance of having robust and strategic backup solutions as part of a comprehensive cybersecurity plan, especially amidst evolving AI-driven threats.