Data security is an absolute must for any company operating in today's digital world.
If you don't take precautions to safeguard your sensitive data from potential dangers like cyberattacks and physical harm, you're essentially inviting tragedy onto your company.
Today, cloud storage has become increasingly popular, on top of the always-popular disk solutions (HDDs and SSDs). Yet, tape storage remains a cost-effective, reliable, and secure way to store your information.
For instance, tapes are completely offline, so you are naturally protected from hacking and other forms of cyber threats that are often launched via the internet. Also, It is simpler to keep unwanted people from getting their hands on your tapes since not everyone has a tape player and the necessary software.
The article will go over the advantages of tape storage options in terms of security. By the end of this article, you’ll have learned about the following:
What you need to know about the current data security concerns
Effects of data loss on companies
The unique security advantages of tape storage
Modern use cases of tape storage
Dispelling the myths and misconceptions about tape storage
Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve year after year. Businesses in 2024 are so vulnerable to a broad range of very hazardous, highly-technological, and hyper-targeted assaults.
The following is a comprehensive list of the most prevalent and serious threats:
"Phishing" refers to attempts to obtain sensitive information through text messages, emails, or other similar mediums that appear to be from trusted organizations or individuals.
Phishing may also take other forms, such as:
Ransomware encryption occurs when malicious software infects a company's computer system or network, and then the attackers demand payment to decrypt the data.
This may involve techniques like:
Refers to cyberattacks in which the principal target is compromised by taking use of flaws in software or vendors developed by third parties. This type of attack's compromise can extend to multiple clients or partners.
Some techniques for supply chain attacks:
Attacks that target cloud environments, for example:
Hazards that are posed by employees or other insiders within the company who misuse their access to harm the company. Can be unintentional or malicious. Examples include:
A form of cyber attack in which the perpetrators inundate a network or service with traffic, causing it to become unusable as a result of being overloaded.
DDoS may involve botnets, which are groups of infected devices used in coordinated assaults. Alternatively, it might involve various amplification techniques to increase the amount of traffic sent.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning-enhanced cyber attacks that are more sophisticated and/or adaptable. For example:
Automated phishing: Artificial intelligence (AI)-generated emails or texts that may modify themselves in response to user activities.
Malware Evasion: Using artificial intelligence or machine learning to evade antivirus programs.
Loss of data may also occur when physical components malfunction or break down.
Unfortunately, despite the increased dependability of hardware as a result of technical advancements, the fact remains that all hardware has a limited lifetime. Environmental damage, wear and tear, and manufacturing defects can lead to breakdowns, which can occur unexpectedly and suddenly.
A few different types of hardware failure:
Natural disasters (floods, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.) can damage data storage systems and computer hardware.
Companies often have insurance to cover financial and physical losses, but data is special and irreplaceable.
Furthermore, operational stagnation, financial loss, and long-term harm to corporate image may result from data losses in a natural catastrophe.
For many businesses, human mistake ranks high among the most common reasons for cybersecurity breaches and data loss. The following are examples of typical forms of human errors that might compromise data:
It is crucial for organizations to take proactive measures to secure their data in light of the concerns highlighted above. In the next sections, we'll go over some of the unique ways in which tape storage can protect your business from these threats.
The aforementioned cybersecurity threats are just a few examples of the many that target network-connected storage solutions and online data by taking advantage of the connection that is important to current systems.
Tape storage stands out in this context because of its unique security features, which will be discussed below:
Within the context of cybersecurity, "air gap defense" refers to the condition in which the data and storage system are physically 100% isolated from any network connections.
In other words, the data is not associated with any network, including the Internet.
In contrast to cloud or disk storage systems, which are often always linked to networks, tapes are not linked to any system unless they are placed into a tape drive by hand. This isolation gives tape storage a unique security advantage.
Air gap defense is critical for the following reasons:
Immutability implies that data cannot be altered once written, and tape storage really excels in this area.
In contrast to cloud storage and disks, where data can be overwritten or modified with relative ease, tapes have inherent immutability. Any information saved on a tape will remain there unless you totally rewrite it or delete it.
This intrinsic immutability provides an extra safeguard against unwanted data manipulation. This is particularly important in industries that depend on compliance-related information (i.e., finance, legal, etc.)
Also, in some scenarios, such as audits or legal concerns, it is critical to be able to prove that the data has not been altered.
In comparison to hard disks, tape storage has superior physical durability, which is another one of its most notable benefits.
Despite the increased durability of solid-state drives (SSDs) over hard disk drives (HDDs), tape storage is still the superior choice due to its reliability and lengthy lifetime (up to 30 years under optimal circumstances).
Because of the tape's long lifetime, you won't have to worry about changing the media as often, and your important data will be secure and available for decades to come.
A further safeguard for data stored on tape is the ability to encrypt it before writing it to the tape, a process known as offline encryption.
In this manner, the data stored on the tape cartridge will remain unreadable even if it is accessed without authority.
While encryption isn't unique to tape—it works just as well on other forms of storage (such as disks)—tape's offline nature makes it ideal for long-term backups and archives.
The term "chain of custody" describes the meticulous and exhaustive recording of all data operations beginning with its creation and continuing through its storage, transfer, destruction, or archiving.
In sectors where data compliance is paramount, it is often necessary to maintain a full and auditable chain of custody. Because of its physical and offline character, tape storage provides a distinct advantage in this area and naturally supports chain of custody systems.
Each tape cartridge is a tangible and physical object that can be barcoded, labeled and tracked. For further efficiency and precision, we can set up an automatic system to monitor the whereabouts of each tape, the people who have accessed it, and the timestamps of its use and transfer.
Many people immediately think of preserving massive quantities of data when they hear about tape storage, even though it has distinct security benefits as discussed above.
Tape storage's function has evolved significantly over the years, finding use in a wide range of mission-critical domains, including:
Cold data refers to data that is not frequently accessed but must be retained for one reason or another (i.e., for compliance purposes.) Tape is the most ideal solution when it comes to storing this cold data, offering significant cost savings compared to keeping this cold data on disks or cloud solutions.
Malware, hacking, or unauthorized access are all inherently less likely to occur while using tape because of its offline nature.
Hybrid backup systems, which mix tape storage with cloud and/or disk-based solutions, are another popular use case.
This approach allows two key benefits:
Data retention laws are particularly onerous for sectors like healthcare and banking. Meeting these compliance criteria is made much easier with tape storage because of its dependability and longevity.
Compliance Needs: Some regulations often require the retention of data records for extended periods. In this case, the durability of tape storage will be crucial, making it an attractive option for businesses that must archive data for legal reasons.
Secure Archiving: Data integrity and accessibility may be guaranteed for as long as is necessary by legal demands by securely storing tapes in controlled settings. Because of its capacity to stay there for a long time, tape is a must-have for compliance plans.
In today's era where ransomware is becoming increasingly sophisticated, even cloud-based storage solutions are under threats. Tape storage offers a robust defense against advanced ransomware attacks due to its completely offline nature.
Since tapes are offline, they are essentially untouchable by ransomware. In the unfortunate event of a ransomware attack, organizations can rely on tape backups as a "last resort" defense to restore operation-critical data without yielding to ransom demands.
Data backups are safe against ransomware's encryption and other harmful alterations since tape is immutable (data written to tape cannot be altered).
Big Data Supply can assist in designing a comprehensive, multi-layered backup strategy where tape storage plays a crucial role. You may accomplish cold storage at a low cost, strengthen your resistance against cyber threats, and fulfill long-term retention requirements by including tape in your backup and archive equipment.
If you're looking for a reliable and secure way to store and manage your data, Big Data Supply can show you how to use tape storage to its full potential.
The many benefits of tape storage that have already been mentioned are often disregarded due to various misconceptions. Let's address some of the most common myths:
When it comes to material that isn't accessed often, the fact that tape is slower than disk and cloud storage options—which provide rapid access—is unimportant.
Keeping your valuable information on tape is like putting them in a vault or safe: you may not need to access the contents very often, but you always know they are there when you need them.
Despite its slower speed, modern tape technology offers very high storage capacity, which also makes it efficient for handling large volumes of data that doesn't need frequent access.
Although tape technology is "old" and has been available since the 1950s, it has come a long way since then. Modern tapes can stand toe-to-toe with other formats to keep pace with the growing data storage demands.
With the most recent LTO-9, each cartridge can hold up to 18 terabytes of native storage space (45 terabytes of compressed data). This enormous storage capacity on a single cartridge, together with faster data transfers, demonstrates that tape is adapting to meet the demands of the current day.
These enhancements ensure that tape remains a cost-effective and dependable choice, especially for long-term data storage.
Although there is some complexity to setting up and maintaining tape storage, particularly for do-it-yourself (DIY) configurations, it is feasible with the correct knowledge.
Here is another area where the knowledge and experience of Big Data Supply are priceless. For organizations looking for effective tape storage system implementation and management, we have bespoke solutions to meet your needs.
Backing up data on tape has several benefits over other methods.
Tape should be a component of any comprehensive backup strategy for many reasons, but it is especially crucial for safeguarding critical data that you just cannot afford to lose:
Unparalleled Security: Tape is an excellent defense against cyber threats such as ransomware and unlawful access due to its offline nature and high physical durability.
Longevity: If stored correctly, data recorded on tape has a reliable lifespan of over 30 years. Because of this, it is perfect for certain sectors' needs for long-term retention and compliance.
Cost Savings: Tape's lower cost per terabyte compared to disk storage makes it a practical choice for archiving large volumes of infrequently accessed data.
Big Data Supply understands that each organization has distinct data security requirements, which makes it safe to buy, sell and recycle data tapes with us. That's why we provide a free consultation to help you analyze your data risks and choose the optimal backup solution for your company. Our specialists can help you build a multi-layered solution in which tape storage plays an important part in ensuring your data is not only safeguarded but also maintained cost-effectively and efficiently.
