Ransomware-Angriffe werden im Durchschnitt erst nach 7 bis 8 Tagen erkannt – und bis dahin könnten Ihre Backup-Dateien bereits kompromittiert sein. GuardMode von Catalogic ändert das, indem es Ihre Daten vor dem Backup überwacht, Bedrohungen frühzeitig erkennt und dabei hilft, nur die betroffenen Dateien wiederherzustellen, anstatt ganze Systeme zurückzusetzen. 

Wenn Sie Backup-Administrator oder IT-Fachkraft mit Verantwortung für Datensicherheit sind, zeigt Ihnen dieser Beitrag, wie GuardMode funktioniert, welche Funktionen es bietet und wie es sich in Ihre bestehende Backup-Strategie integrieren lässt. In rund 10 Minuten erfahren Sie mehr über Erkennungsmethoden, Wiederherstellungsoptionen und praktische Vorteile. 

Die aktuelle Herausforderung beim Ransomware-Schutz für Backups 

Die Erkennung dauert zu lange

Die meisten Organisationen merken erst zu spät, dass sie Ziel eines Ransomware-Angriffs geworden sind. Studien zeigen, dass es im Jahr 2025 im Durchschnitt 7 bis 8 Tage dauert, bis eine aktive Infektion erkannt wird. In dieser Zeit kann sich die Schadsoftware im gesamten Netzwerk ausbreiten, Dateien verschlüsseln und unter Umständen Daten kompromittieren, die in regulären Backup-Zyklen enthalten sind. 

Diese Verzögerung entsteht, weil herkömmliche Sicherheitswerkzeuge darauf fokussiert sind, Angriffe an Eintrittspunkten wie E-Mails oder Webbrowsern zu verhindern. Sobald Ransomware diese Schutzmaßnahmen umgeht, kann sie unbemerkt im Hintergrund agieren und nach und nach Dateien verschlüsseln, ohne sofortige Warnungen auszulösen. 

Sicherheits- und Backup-Teams arbeiten isoliert

Zwischen den Tools des Security-Teams und der Backup-Infrastruktur besteht oft eine Trennung. Endpoint-Lösungen wie Antivirensoftware und Firewalls sind darauf ausgelegt, Bedrohungen vom Netzwerk fernzuhalten. Sie überwachen jedoch nicht explizit, was mit den Daten passiert, die von Backup-Systemen geschützt werden sollen. 

Backup-Software hingegen konzentriert sich auf das verlässliche Kopieren und Speichern von Daten, analysiert jedoch in der Regel nicht, ob diese Daten kompromittiert wurden. Dies schafft eine Sicherheitslücke, bei der infizierte Dateien gemeinsam mit sauberen Daten gesichert werden und so die Wiederherstellungsmöglichkeiten verunreinigt werden. 

Ransomware zielt auf Backup-Dateien

Moderne Ransomware ist so ausgereift, dass sie gezielt Backup-Dateien und -Systeme angreift. Angreifer wissen, dass Organisationen auf Backups zur Wiederherstellung angewiesen sind, und verschlüsseln daher gezielt Backup-Repositories, Schattenkopien und Wiederherstellungspunkte. 

Wenn Ransomware Ihre Backup-Dateien erreicht, entfällt Ihre wichtigste Wiederherstellungsoption. Selbst wenn Sie den Angriff schnell erkennen, könnten Ihre aktuellen Backups bereits verschlüsselt oder korrumpiert sein – und Sie müssen auf ältere Kopien zurückgreifen. 

Wiederherstellung wird zur Alles-oder-nichts-Entscheidung

Im Ernstfall stehen viele Unternehmen vor einer schwierigen Entscheidung: Alles aus einem sauberen Backup vor dem Angriff wiederherstellen oder versuchen, nur die betroffenen Dateien zu identifizieren und zurückzuspielen. 

Die vollständige Systemwiederherstellung ist oft sicherer, aber auch zeitaufwändig und teuer. Alle Daten, die zwischen dem Backup und dem Angriff entstanden sind, gehen verloren. Dokumente müssen neu erstellt, Daten erneut eingegeben und Änderungen nachträglich umgesetzt werden. 

Die Alternative – nur betroffene Dateien zu identifizieren – ist ohne geeignete Tools riskant. IT-Teams fehlt häufig der Einblick, welche Dateien verschlüsselt wurden, wann die Verschlüsselung begann und wie weit sich die Infektion ausgebreitet hat. Diese Unsicherheit führt oft dazu, dass eine vollständige Wiederherstellung gewählt wird, selbst wenn nur ein kleiner Teil der Daten betroffen war. 

Ohne spezialisierte Erkennungs- und Nachverfolgungsfunktionen müssen Backup-Administratoren Entscheidungen auf unvollständiger Informationsbasis treffen – mit dem Risiko unnötiger Datenverluste und langer Ausfallzeiten. 

Was ist GuardMode 

Zweck und Designphilosophie 

GuardMode ist ein System zur Erkennung und Abwehr von Ransomware, das speziell für Backup-Umgebungen entwickelt wurde und sich nahtlos in Catalogic DPX integriert. Im Gegensatz zu herkömmlicher Sicherheitssoftware, die Angriffe an Netzwerkeingängen abwehren soll, überwacht GuardMode Ihre Daten auf zwei Ebenen: 

• Direkt vor dem Backup, um Bedrohungen zu erkennen, die anderen Schutzmechanismen entgangen sind 

• Nach dem Backup, als zusätzliche Verteidigungsschicht für Systeme, die nicht vor dem Schutzprozess gescannt werden können 

Das Konzept hinter GuardMode ist einfach: Backup-Administratoren brauchen eigene Sicherheitstools, die direkt mit ihren Backup-Prozessen und DPX-Workflows integriert sind. Anstatt sich auf das Security-Team zu verlassen, können Backup-Teams kompromittierte Daten erkennen und sofort innerhalb der gewohnten DPX-Oberfläche reagieren. 

GuardMode arbeitet als integraler Bestandteil der Vor- und Nachsicherungs-Scanschichten von DPX. Es analysiert Dateien kontinuierlich, um ransomewaretypisches Verhalten zu erkennen, bevor die Daten im Backup landen. Die enge Integration verhindert, dass infizierte Dateien Ihre Wiederherstellungsoptionen beeinträchtigen, und bietet detaillierte Informationen über betroffene Dateien – alles über die vorhandene DPX-Konsole zugänglich. 

Integration in Backup-Systeme 

GuardMode funktioniert als Agent, den Sie auf Windows- und Linux-Servern installieren. Es überwacht Dateisysteme in Echtzeit und erkennt verdächtige Aktivitäten wie ungewöhnliche Dateioperationen oder schnelle Verschlüsselungsprozesse. 

Das System ist offen konzipiert, bietet REST-APIs und unterstützt Standardprotokolle wie Syslog, um mit vorhandener Backup- und Sicherheitsinfrastruktur zu arbeiten. Bei verdächtigem Verhalten kann GuardMode automatisch Schutzmaßnahmen auslösen: Freigaben schreibschützen, sofort Snapshots erstellen oder Warnmeldungen an Backup- und Sicherheitsteams senden. 

Wichtige Unterschiede zu herkömmlicher Sicherheitssoftware 

Klassische Endpoint-Tools wie Antivirusprogramme und Firewalls blockieren Bedrohungen am Netzwerkeingang. Sie erkennen bekannte Malware-Signaturen und verhindern schädliche Downloads oder Anhänge. 

GuardMode verfolgt einen anderen Ansatz und ergänzt diese Funktionen. Es geht davon aus, dass einige Bedrohungen durchkommen, und konzentriert sich stattdessen auf die durch Ransomware verursachten Auswirkungen – insbesondere auf Verschlüsselungs- und Änderungsmuster. 

Durch diesen verhaltensbasierten Ansatz kann GuardMode auch neue Ransomware erkennen, die in keiner Signaturdatenbank steht.Es erkennt die Auswirkungen der Ransomware und nicht deren Code – und schützt so vor bekannten und unbekannten Bedrohungen. 

Ein weiterer Unterschied liegt im Timing: Herkömmliche Tools erkennen Bedrohungen beim Eintritt. GuardMode überwacht kontinuierlich den Zustand Ihrer Datenumgebung und erkennt auch schleichende oder später auftretende Infektionen. Damit wird es zur echten Ransomware Protection für Backups. 

Zielgruppe: Backup-Admins und IT-Teams 

GuardMode wurde speziell für Backup-Administratoren entwickelt – also für jene, die dafür sorgen müssen, dass Daten im Notfall wiederhergestellt werden können. Während Security-Teams Angriffe verhindern wollen, brauchen Backup-Teams Tools, um auf bereits erfolgte Angriffe reagieren zu können. 

Die Software bietet Backup-Admins Funktionen, die sie bisher nicht hatten: 

• Transparenz zur Datenintegrität: Welche Dateien sind betroffen, welche sauber? 

• Granulare Wiederherstellung: Nur kompromittierte Dateien wiederherstellen statt ganzer Systeme 

• Integration in bestehende Workflows: Alarme und Reaktionen innerhalb der Backup-Prozesse 

• Wiederherstellungshilfe: Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitungen bei der Recovery 

Auch IT-Teams profitieren: Sie erhalten detaillierte Infos zum Schadensausmaß und klare Wiederherstellungsoptionen – weniger Raten, weniger Stress. Gerade in hybriden Umgebungen mit On-Premises- und Cloud-Infrastruktur bietet GuardMode konsistenten Schutz für Dateifreigaben und Speichersysteme über alle Plattformen hinweg. 

Fazit 

GuardMode steht für den Wechsel von reaktiver zu proaktiver Datensicherung. Es gibt Backup-Teams die Werkzeuge an die Hand, um Bedrohungen frühzeitig zu erkennen und gezielt zu reagieren. Durch den klaren Fokus auf die Bedürfnisse von Backup-Admins schließt es eine kritische Lücke in vielen Ransomware-Abwehrstrategien und etabliert sich als effektive Ransomware Protection für Backups. 

Im nächsten Blogbeitrag werfen wir einen genaueren Blick auf die technischen Funktionen von GuardMode – wir erkunden seine Erkennungsmethoden, Überwachungsfunktionen und Wiederherstellungsoptionen. Außerdem betrachten wir praxisnahe Implementierungsaspekte und reale Anwendungsfälle, die zeigen, wie Organisationen GuardMode einsetzen, um ihre Resilienz gegenüber Ransomware zu stärken. 

Bei Catalogic betonen wir immer wieder, dass zuverlässige Backups nicht nur wichtig – sondern absolut unerlässlich sind. Doch was passiert, wenn die Backups selbst zum Ziel werden? Genau für dieses Problem haben wir eine moderne Speicherlösung entwickelt. Das bedeutet: DPX-Kunden sind in einer besonders vorteilhaften Position. Anstatt sich nach einer kompatiblen Backup-Speicherlösung umzusehen, erhalten sie vStor direkt als Teil der DPX suite. Damit profitieren sie automatisch von Funktionen auf Enterprise-Niveau wie Deduplizierung, Komprimierung und – am wichtigsten – robusten Unveränderlichkeitskontrollen, die Backups vor unautorisierten Änderungen schützen. 

Durch die Kombination der Backup-Funktionen von DPX mit der sicheren Speicherbasis von vStor erhalten Unternehmen ein vollständiges Schutzsystem, das weder proprietäre Hardware noch komplexe Integrationsarbeiten erfordert. Es ist ein praxisnaher, kosteneffizienter Ansatz, um sicherzustellen, dass Ihre Unternehmensdaten sicher und wiederherstellbar bleiben – egal welche Bedrohungen auftreten. 

Einleitung

Dieser Artikel führt Sie durch die Funktionen und Vorteile der Nutzung von vStor. Für viele unserer Kunden dient er als Auffrischung – gleichzeitig aber auch als Erinnerung daran, sicherzustellen, dass sie die neueste und leistungsfähigste Lösung nutzen und vor allem: alle Vorteile ausschöpfen, die vStor bietet. Los geht’s! 

Catalogic vStor ist ein softwaredefiniertes Speichergerät, das primär als Backup-Repository für die Datensicherungslösung DPX von Catalogic konzipiert ist. Es läuft auf handelsüblicher Hardware (physisch oder virtuell) und nutzt das ZFS-Dateisystem, um Enterprise-Funktionen wie Inline-Deduplizierung, Komprimierung und Replikation auf Standardservern bereitzustellen. Dieser Ansatz ermöglicht ein kostengünstiges und gleichzeitig widerstandsfähiges Repository, dass Organisationen von proprietären Backup-Appliances und Anbieterabhängigkeit befreit. 

Speicherfunktionen

Flexible Bereitstellung und Speicherpools: vStor läuft auf verschiedenen Plattformen (VMware, Hyper-V, physische Server) und verwendet Speicherpools zur Organisation physischer Festplatten. Administratoren können mehrere Festplatten (DAS, SAN LUNs) zu erweiterbaren Pools zusammenfassen, die mit dem Datenwachstum mitwachsen. Als softwaredefinierte Lösung funktioniert vStor mit jedem Blockgerät ohne proprietäre Einschränkungen. 

Volumentypen und Protokollunterstützung: vStor bietet vielseitige Volumentypen, darunter Blockgeräte als iSCSI-LUNs (ideal für “incremental forever” Backups) und dateibasierte Speicher mit NFS- und SMB-Protokollen (oft für agentenlose VM-Backups genutzt). Das System unterstützt mehrere Netzwerkschnittstellen und Multipathing für hohe Verfügbarkeit in SAN-Umgebungen. 

Objektspeicher: Eine herausragende Funktion in vStor 4.12 ist die native S3-kompatible Objektspeichertechnologie. Jede Appliance enthält einen Objektspeicherserver, mit dem Administratoren S3-kompatible Volumes mit eigenen Zugangsschlüsseln und Webkonsole erstellen können. So lassen sich Backups lokal in einem S3-kompatiblen Repository speichern – anstatt sie sofort in eine Public Cloud zu übertragen. Die Objektspeicherfunktion unterstützt auch Object Lock für Unveränderlichkeit. 

Skalierbarkeit: Als softwaredefinierte Lösung kann vStor mit mehreren Instanzen skaliert werden – nicht nur mit einer einzelnen Appliance. Unternehmen können Nodes mit unterschiedlichen Spezifikationen an verschiedenen Standorten bereitstellen. Proprietäre Hardware ist nicht erforderlich – jeder Server mit ausreichenden Ressourcen kann als vStor-Node fungieren, im Gegensatz zu traditionellen, speziell entwickelten Backup-Appliances. 

Datensicherung und Wiederherstellung

Backup-Snapshots und “Incremental Forever”: vStor nutzt ZFS-Snapshot-Technologie, um zeitpunktgenaue Abbilder von Backup-Volumes zu erstellen – ohne vollständige Datenkopien. Jedes Backup wird als unveränderlicher Snapshot mit nur geänderten Blöcken gespeichert – ideal für inkrementelle Strategien. Mit Catalogics Snapshot Explorer oder durch Einbinden von Volume-Snapshots können Administratoren direkt auf Backups zugreifen, Daten überprüfen oder Dateien extrahieren – ohne die Backup-Kette zu beeinträchtigen. 

Volume-Replikation und Notfallwiederherstellung: vStor bietet Punkt-zu-Punkt-Replikation zwischen Appliances für DR-Szenarien und Backup-Konsolidierung in Außenstellen. Volumes können asynchron und auf Snapshot-Basis repliziert werden, wobei nur geänderte Daten übertragen werden. vStor 4.12 führt Replikationsgruppen ein, um mehrere Volumenreplikationen gemeinsam zu verwalten. 

Wiederherstellungsfunktionen: Da Backups als Snapshots vorliegen, kann eine Wiederherstellung entweder vor Ort oder durch Bereitstellung des Backup-Volumes auf Produktivsystemen erfolgen. Mit Instant Access Recovery können Backup-Volumes direkt per iSCSI oder NFS eingebunden und sofort genutzt oder sogar als VM gestartet werden – dies reduziert Ausfallzeiten erheblich. Catalogic DPX bietet mit Rapid Return to Production (RRP) eine Lösung zur schnellen Rückführung von Backups in Produktivsysteme – mit minimalem Kopieraufwand. 

Sicherheit und Compliance

Benutzerzugriff und Multi-Tenancy: vStor nutzt rollenbasierte Zugriffskontrolle mit Admin- und Standardbenutzern. Letztere können auf bestimmte Speicherpools beschränkt werden – ideal für Szenarien, in denen mehrere Abteilungen dieselbe Appliance nutzen. Verwaltungshandlungen erfordern Authentifizierung; Multi-Faktor-Authentifizierung (MFA) wird unterstützt. 

Datenverschlüsselung: vStor 4.12 unterstützt Volumenverschlüsselung zur Sicherung der Vertraulichkeit. Bei der Volume-Erstellung kann die Verschlüsselung aktiviert werden. Ein Auto-Unlock-Mechanismus (Encryption URL) erlaubt das Abrufen des Schlüssels von einem sicheren Remote-Server per SSH. Management-Kommunikation erfolgt über HTTPS, und Replikationen lassen sich verschlüsselt und komprimiert übertragen. 

Unveränderlichkeit und Löschschutz: Eine zentrale Sicherheitsfunktion ist die Kontrolle über die Unveränderlichkeit. Snapshots und Volumes können für definierte Aufbewahrungszeiträume gegen Löschung oder Veränderung gesperrt werden – entscheidend für den Schutz vor Ransomware. vStor bietet zwei Modi: Flexible Protection (entsperrbar mit MFA) und Fixed Protection (vergleichbar mit WORM, nicht vor Ablauf entsperrbar). Diese Funktionen verbessern die Compliance und Abwehrfähigkeit. 

Ransomware-Erkennung (GuardMode): vStor 4.12 führt GuardMode Scan ein – eine Funktion zur Analyse von Snapshots auf Ransomware-Indikatoren. Administratoren können Snapshots manuell oder automatisch scannen lassen. Bei Entdeckung verdächtiger Muster erfolgt eine Alarmmeldung – so wird vStor vom passiven Speicher zur aktiven Sicherheitskomponente. 

Performance und Effizienz

Inline-Deduplizierung: vStor nutzt ZFS-Deduplizierung, um redundante Datenblöcke zu vermeiden und Speicherplatz zu sparen. Besonders effektiv bei Backups mit hoher Redundanz (z. B. viele VMs mit identischem OS). Übliche Deduplizierungsraten liegen bei 2:1 bis 4:1 – in Einzelfällen sogar 7:1 in Kombination mit Komprimierung. Die Deduplizierung erfolgt inline beim Schreiben. 

Komprimierung: Ergänzend zur Deduplizierung wird die Komprimierung auf alle in den Pool geschriebenen Daten angewendet. Je nach Datentyp lassen sich Größenreduktionen von 1.5:1 bis 3:1 erzielen. In Kombination senken diese Techniken die Kosten pro Terabyte deutlich – entscheidend bei langen Aufbewahrungszeiträumen. 

Performance-Tuning: vStor übernimmt ZFS-Funktionen zur Leistungsoptimierung bei Lese- und Schreibvorgängen. Administratoren können SSDs als Write-Logs (ZIL) oder Read-Caches (L2ARC) einbinden, um Recovery-Performance zu steigern. Diese Geräte lassen sich direkt in den Pool integrieren. 

Netzwerkoptimierung: vStor unterstützt Funktionen wie Bandbreitenbegrenzung und Replikationskomprimierung. Netzwerkschnittstellen lassen sich für verschiedene Aufgaben (z. B. Management, Backup, Replikation) dedizieren. Mit geeigneter Hardware (SSD, CPU) kann vStor die Leistung proprietärer Backup-Appliances erreichen – ganz ohne deren Einschränkungen. 

Integration und Automatisierung

DPX-Integration: vStor lässt sich nahtlos mit DPX verbinden. In der DPX-Konsole lassen sich vStor-Volumes (iSCSI oder S3) als Backup-Ziele definieren. vStor nutzt MinIO, um ein lokales S3-Ziel bereitzustellen – cloudartige Speicherstrukturen vor Ort. 

Drittsysteme: Trotz DPX-Optimierung unterstützt vStor Standardprotokolle (iSCSI, NFS, SMB, S3), wodurch auch Drittanbieter-Software oder Virtualisierungsplattformen angebunden werden können. Diese Offenheit unterscheidet vStor von vielen Appliances, die nur mit ihrer eigenen Software funktionieren. 

Cloud-Anbindung: vStor 4.12 kann als Gateway zur Cloud agieren. Eine Instanz lässt sich in der Cloud bereitstellen und als Ziel für Replikationen von On-Prem-Systemen nutzen. Mittels MinIO oder DPX kann an Anbieter wie AWS, Azure oder Wasabi archiviert werden – inklusive Object Lock. 

Automatisierung: vStor bietet eine Kommandozeilenschnittstelle (CLI) und eine REST-API zur Automatisierung. Alle Funktionen der Weboberfläche lassen sich per CLI aufrufen – ideal für Tools wie Ansible oder PowerShell. Die REST-API ermöglicht Monitoring und Integration in DevOps-Prozesse. 

Betrieb und Monitoring

Management-Oberfläche: vStor bietet ein webbasiertes Interface für Verwaltung und Konfiguration. Das Dashboard zeigt Kapazitäten, Volumenzustände und Replikationen an. Über separate Bereiche für Speicher, Datenschutz und System lassen sich Funktionen leicht verwalten. 

Systemkonfiguration: Zum Betrieb gehören Einstellungen wie Netzwerk, Zeit (NTP), Zertifikate und Systempflege. Neue Festplatten können erkannt werden, ohne den Server neu zu starten – das erleichtert Erweiterungen. 

Monitoring: Alarme bei Fehlern (z. B. Replikation, Festplatten) erscheinen in der Oberfläche. Administratoren sollten auch Kapazitätstrends und Replikationsverzögerungen im Blick behalten. Die Alarmierung lässt sich mit externen Tools ergänzen. 

Support und Fehlerbehebung: vStor kann Support-Bundles mit Logs und Konfigurationen erzeugen. Die Dokumentation deckt häufige Fragen und Best Practices ab – etwa die Empfehlung, weniger große Pools statt vieler kleiner zu verwenden, um Fragmentierung zu reduzieren. 

Fazit

Catalogic vStor 4.12 ist eine umfassende Backup-Speicherlösung mit Enterprise-Funktionen und robustem Datenschutz. Sicherheitsfunktionen wie MFA, Unveränderlichkeit und Ransomware-Scanning schützen vor Cyberbedrohungen, während Performance-Optimierungen eine kosteneffiziente Speicherung bei gleichzeitig schnellen Wiederherstellungen ermöglichen. 

vStor zeichnet sich durch Flexibilität und Offenheit im Vergleich zu proprietären Appliances aus. Es kann auf vorhandener Hardware betrieben werden und bietet fortschrittliche Speichertechnologien sowie einzigartige Funktionen wie nativen Objektspeicher und Ransomware-Erkennung. 

Typische Anwendungsfälle: 

• Zentrales Backup-Repository für Rechenzentren 
• Backup in Außenstellen mit Replikation zur Zentrale 
• Ransomware-resistenter Backup-Speicher mit Unveränderlichkeit 
• Archivierung und Cloud-Gateway für gestaffelte Backup-Strategien 
• Test-/Entwicklungsumgebungen mit Snapshot-Funktionen 

Mit vStor modernisieren Organisationen ihre Datensicherungsinfrastruktur – aus einem klassischen Backup-Repository wird eine smarte, skalierbare Plattform, die aktiv zur unternehmensweiten Datenstrategie beiträgt.

Wenn Sie dafür verantwortlich sind, Daten sicher zu halten – ob im IT‑Betrieb, in der Infrastrukturverwaltung oder in der Cybersicherheit – sind Backups Ihr Sicherheitsnetz. Sie greifen, wenn Systeme ausfallen, Dateien verschwinden oder Ransomware zuschlägt. Aber eines ist entscheidend: Sie müssen Verifizierungen durchführen. Nur weil ein Backup als „erfolgreich“ gemeldet wird, heißt das nicht, dass es auch wirklich wiederherstellbar ist. Viele Backup‑Systeme prüfen nicht, ob die Daten auch tatsächlich zurückgespielt werden können. Sie warnen nicht, wenn Dateien beschädigt oder unvollständig sind – oder schlimmer noch, bereits mit Malware verseucht. Und am Tag der Wiederherstellung stehen Sie ratlos da. 

DPX 4.13 führt nun eine automatische Backup‑Verifizierung ein – für alle, die sich kein Rätselraten leisten können. IT‑Administratoren, System‑Ingenieure, Backup‑Operatoren und Cyber‑Security‑Teams erhalten Gewissheit – nicht nur Hoffnung –, dass ihre Backups funktionieren. Direkt nach jedem Backup läuft automatisch eine Verifizierung, inklusive integriertem Malware‑Scan, damit Probleme früh erkannt und behoben werden – noch bevor eine Wiederherstellung nötig wird. 

Warum herkömmliche Backups nicht ausreichen 

Ein grünes Licht im Backup‑Dashboard wirkt oft beruhigend, kann aber trügerisch sein. Viele Systeme melden nur, dass Daten kopiert wurden – nicht, ob das Backup auch wirklich wiederherstellbar ist. Wenn es beschädigt ist oder versteckte Malware enthält, merken Sie es erst beim Wiederherstellungstest – dann ist es zu spät. 

DPX 4.13 geht dieses Problem aktiv an: Es prüft die Integrität des Backups und scannt auf Malware. So gewinnen Sie echte Sicherheit, dass Ihre Daten tatsächlich sauber und wiederherstellbar sind. 

Was DPX 4.13 anders macht 

DPX 4.13 führt eine automatische Backup‑Verifizierung mit zwei zentralen Schritten ein: Integritätsprüfung und Bedrohungsscans. Beides erfolgt direkt nach Abschluss des Backups – ganz ohne manuelle Eingriffe Ihres Teams. 

Dateien‑System‑Prüfung 

DPX mountet das Backup wie für eine vollständige Wiederherstellung. Anschließend werden Dateisystem, Partitionslayout und Zugriffsrechte geprüft. Wenn etwas nicht stimmt – etwa Datenkorruption, fehlende Rechte oder strukturelle Probleme – wird das sofort alarmiert. 

Malware‑Scan (GuardMode) 

Sobald das Backup die Integritätsprüfung bestanden hat, startet GuardMode einen Scan auf bekannte Malware-Signaturen und unregelmäßiges Dateiverhalten – etwa typische Merkmale von Ransomware oder schlafenden Bedrohungen. 

Live‑Monitoring und Alarmierung 

Jeder Schritt des Verifizierungsprozesses ist in Echtzeit sichtbar. Wenn die Verifizierung fehlschlägt oder eine Bedrohung entdeckt wird, erhält Ihr Team unmittelbar eine Benachrichtigung über das integrierte Alarmsystem. 

Wo es funktioniert 

DPX 4.13 unterstützt zwei Backup‑Typen von Haus aus: 

VMware‑Backups 

Für agentenlose VMware‑Jobs mountet und prüft DPX die VM‑Backups automatisiert – ganz ohne Agent auf den Gastsystemen. Mehrere Festplatten, komplexe Partitionen und verschiedene Dateisysteme werden nahtlos abgedeckt. 

Block‑Level‑Backups 

Die gleiche Verifizierungs‑Engine kommt auch bei physischen Server‑ oder Bare‑Metal‑Backups zum Einsatz. Egal welches Betriebssystem, Partitionsschema oder Wiederherstellungsformat – Sie erhalten überall dieselbe Validierung. 

Wichtiger Hinweis: vStor erforderlich 

Diese neue Verifizierungsfunktion ist nur nutzbar, wenn Ihre Backups in Catalogics vStor gespeichert sind. Nur vStor bietet die nötige Mount‑Technologie, um Restore‑Simulationen und Scans durchzuführen. Wenn Sie ein anderes Storage‑Backend verwenden, müssen Sie Ihre Backups auf vStor migrieren, um diese Funktion nutzen zu können. 

Die enge Integration mit vStor gewährleistet reibungslose Performance, schnelle Scans und verlässliche Ergebnisse – ohne Ihre Produktionssysteme zu belasten. 

So funktioniert’s – ein Blick hinter die Kulissen 

Nach Abschluss eines Backups läuft folgender Prozess automatisch ab: 

1. Backup ist abgeschlossen 
2. Verifizierung startet (vorausgesetzt aktiviert) 
3. DPX greift auf das Backup über vStor zu 
4. Dateien‑Systemprüfung – Integrität & Zugriffsrechte 
5. GuardMode‑Scan – Malware‑Erkennung (falls aktiviert) 
6. Ergebnisse erscheinen im Backup‑Job‑Bericht mit detaillierten Angaben 

Wenn das Backup die Dateisystemprüfung nicht besteht, wird der Malware‑Scan übersprungen – so werden keine Ressourcen auf beschädigte Daten verschwendet. Alle Ergebnisse werden geloggt und können für Audits oder Compliance‑Zwecke exportiert werden. 

Warum das im Alltag zählt 

Risiko reduzieren 

Die häufigsten Restore‑Fehler entstehen durch beschädigte Backups oder versteckte Malware. DPX 4.13 hilft, beides zu vermeiden. Es stellt sicher, dass Backups wiederherstellbar und frei von Bedrohungen sind. Für Unternehmen mit Compliance‑Anforderungen bieten die automatisierten Prüfungen und Audit‑Logs zusätzliche Sicherheit und Dokumentation. 

Zeit sparen 

Manuelle Restore‑Tests sind aufwendig und werden häufig übersprungen. Mit DPX 4.13 laufen sie automatisch im Hintergrund – ohne Eingriff Ihres Teams. Das System skaliert problemlos – egal, ob Sie 10 oder 10 000 Systeme sichern. 

Das große Ganze: Von Hoffnung zur Sicherheit 

Früher bedeutete Backup: „Wir hoffen, es funktioniert.“
Mit DPX 4.13 heißt es: „Wir wissen, dass es funktioniert.“ 

Es ist eine stille, aber wesentliche Weiterentwicklung Ihrer Daten‑Schutz‑Strategie. Der letzte Schritt der Datensicherung wird zu einem verlässlichen Schutzmechanismus – für das Wichtigste: Ruhe und Sicherheit. Wenn irgendwann etwas schiefgeht, greifen Sie auf ein getestetes, sauberes Backup zurück. 

Coming Soon 

DPX 4.13 erscheint im Sommer 2025. Wenn Sie bereits vStor mit DPX für VMware‑ oder Block‑Level‑Backups verwenden, ist die Aktivierung der Verifizierung einfach. Andernfalls ist jetzt ein guter Zeitpunkt, Ihre Backup‑Strategie neu zu bewerten. Können Sie Ihren Backups heute wirklich vertrauen? Wenn die Antwort kein eindeutiges „Ja“ ist, sollten Sie DPX 4.13 ernsthaft in Betracht ziehen. 

If your job involves keeping data safe – whether you’re part of an IT operations team, managing infrastructure, or responsible for security- backups are your safety net. They’re what you count on when systems fail, files go missing, or ransomware strikes. The catch is – you have to do backup verification – just because a backup says it completed successfully doesn’t mean it’s actually usable. Many backup systems don’t check if the data they save can be restored. They don’t tell you if the files are corrupt, incomplete, or worse – already infected with malware. So when it’s time to recover, you’re left guessing.

DPX 4.13 introduces new automatic backup verification for those who can’t afford that guesswork. It’s for IT administrators, system engineers, backup operators, and cybersecurity teams who need to know – not hope – that their backups will work. It brings in automatic verification and built-in malware scanning right after each backup finishes, so you can detect problems early and fix them before a restore is ever needed.

Why Traditional Backups Aren’t Enough

A green light in your backup dashboard might look reassuring, but it can be misleading. Many systems don’t verify that a backup is actually usable – they just report that data was copied. If the backup is corrupted or includes hidden malware, you won’t know until restore day. And by then, it’s too late.

DPX 4.13 tackles this head-on by automatically checking backup integrity and scanning for malware. This gives you true confidence that your data is both clean and recoverable.

What DPX 4.13 Does Differently

DPX 4.13 introduces automatic backup verification with a two-part process: it checks that data can be restored, and it scans for threats. This happens right after a backup finishes – no extra steps needed from your team.

Filesystem Check

DPX mounts your backup and acts like it’s about to perform a full restore. It then inspects the file system, partition layout, and access permissions. If anything’s wrong – corruption, inaccessible data, structural issues – you’ll know immediately.

Malware Scan (GuardMode)

Once a backup passes the integrity check, GuardMode scans it for malware. This scan looks for known signatures and unusual file behavior that might indicate ransomware or dormant threats.

Live Monitoring and Alerts

Every step of the verification process is visible in real time. If a backup fails verification or the scan detects a threat, your team gets alerted right away via the built-in notification system.

Where It Works

DPX 4.13 supports two major types of backups out of the box:

VMware Backups

For agentless VMware jobs, DPX automatically mounts and verifies the virtual machine backups without needing to install anything on the guest systems. It handles multiple disks, complex partition setups, and guest filesystems without any manual steps.

Block-Level Backups

The same verification engine also works for block-level (physical server or bare-metal) backups. This includes different operating systems, partition types, and recovery formats. You get the same level of validation for your physical infrastructure as for your virtualized one.

Important Note: You Need vStor

This new verification feature only works for backups stored on Catalogic’s vStor. That’s because vStor provides the mounting technology DPX needs to simulate restores and run scans. If you use another storage backend, you’ll need to migrate those backups to vStor to take advantage of this functionality.

This tight integration with vStor ensures smooth performance, fast scans, and reliable results – all without affecting production systems.

How It Works: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Here’s what happens step-by-step once a backup completes:

1. Backup finishes

2. Verification kicks off (automatically if enabled)

3. DPX accesses the backup using vStor

4. Filesystem check: verifies integrity and access

5. GuardMode scan: scans for malware (if enabled)

6. Results posted: in the backup job report, with detailed info

If the backup doesn’t pass the filesystem check, the malware scan doesn’t run – so you’re not wasting resources on corrupted data. All results are logged and can be downloaded for auditing or compliance needs.

Why It Matters in the Real World

Reducing Risk

Most restore failures are due to one of two things: corrupted backups or hidden threats. DPX 4.13 helps you avoid both. It ensures that backups are truly restorable and free from malware before you ever need to use them. For companies with compliance needs, these automated checks and audit logs provide an added layer of documentation and assurance.

Saving Time

Manual restore testing is tedious and easy to skip. This system does it automatically. Once set up, it runs in the background – no need for staff to validate backups manually. It also scales with your environment. Whether you’re backing up 10 machines or 10,000, the verification engine runs checks independently without slowing down your backup jobs.

The Bigger Picture: From Guesswork to Assurance

Backup used to mean, “We hope this works.” With DPX 4.13, it becomes “We know this works.” It’s a quiet but much needed evolution in how backup is done – transforming the last step of your data protection plan into something you can rely on with confidence. The real value? Peace of mind. When something goes wrong—and it will—you’re not crossing your fingers. You’re restoring from a backup that’s been proven to work and scanned for threats.

Coming Soon

DPX 4.13 will be available in summer 2025. If you’re already using vStor and DPX for VMware or block-level backups, enabling verification is straightforward. For others, it may be time to revisit your backup strategy. Ask yourself: can you trust your backups today? If the answer isn’t a confident yes, DPX 4.13 is worth a look.

Ransomware attacks now take an average of 7-8 days to detect, and by then, your backup files may already be compromised. GuardMode from Catalogic changes this by monitoring your data before it gets backed up, catching threats early and helping you restore only the affected files instead of rolling back entire systems.

If you’re a backup administrator or IT professional responsible for data protection, this guide will show you how GuardMode works, what features it offers, and how it can fit into your existing backup strategy. You’ll learn about its detection methods, recovery options, and practical benefits in about 10 minutes.

The Current Challenge with Ransomware Protection for Backups

Detection Takes Too Long

Most organizations don’t realize they’re under a ransomware attack until it’s too late. Research shows that in 2025 it typically takes 7-8 days to detect an active ransomware infection. During this time, the malicious software spreads throughout your network, encrypting files and potentially corrupting data that gets included in your regular backup cycles.

This delay happens because traditional security tools focus on preventing attacks at entry points like email or web browsers. Once ransomware gets past these defenses, it can operate quietly in the background, gradually encrypting files without triggering immediate alerts.

Security and Backup Teams Work in Silos

There’s often a disconnect between your security team’s tools and your backup infrastructure. Endpoint detection software like antivirus programs and firewalls are designed to stop threats from entering your network. However, they don’t specifically monitor what’s happening to the data that your backup systems are protecting.
Your backup software focuses on reliably copying and storing data, but it typically doesn’t analyze whether that data has been compromised. This creates a blind spot where infected files can be backed up alongside clean data, contaminating your recovery options.

Ransomware Targets Backup Files

Modern ransomware is sophisticated enough to specifically target backup files and systems. Attackers know that organizations rely on backups for recovery, so they deliberately seek out and encrypt backup repositories, shadow copies, and recovery points.
When ransomware reaches your backup files, it eliminates your primary recovery option. Even if you detect the attack quickly, you may find that your recent backups contain encrypted or corrupted data, forcing you to rely on much older backup copies.

Recovery Becomes an All-or-Nothing Decision

When ransomware strikes, most organizations face a difficult choice: restore everything from a backup point before the infection began, or try to identify and recover only the affected files.
Full system restoration is often the safer option, but it’s also costly and time-consuming. You lose all data created between the backup point and the attack, which could represent days or weeks of work. Users must recreate documents, re-enter data, and rebuild recent changes.

The alternative—trying to identify specific affected files—is risky without proper tools. IT teams often lack visibility into exactly which files were encrypted, when the encryption started, and how far the infection spread. This uncertainty leads many organizations to choose the full restoration approach, even when only a small percentage of their data was actually compromised.

Without specialized detection and tracking capabilities, backup administrators are left making recovery decisions with incomplete information, often resulting in unnecessary data loss and extended downtime.

What is GuardMode

Purpose and Design Philosophy

GuardMode is a ransomware detection and protection system specifically designed for backup environments with seamless integration into Catalogic DPX. Unlike traditional security software that focuses on preventing attacks at network entry points, GuardMode monitors your data in two ways:

• Right before it gets backed up, catching threats that may have slipped past other defenses
• After it was backed up, adding an additional layer of defense for systems that cannot be scanned before the data protection process

The GuardMode software was built with a simple premise: backup administrators need their own security tools that integrate directly with their backup processes and DPX workflows. Rather than relying on security teams to detect and communicate threats, GuardMode gives backup teams the ability to identify compromised data and respond immediately within the familiar DPX interface.

GuardMode operates as an integrated component of DPX’s pre-backup and post-backup monitoring layers, scanning and analyzing files continuously to detect ransomware-like behavior before that data becomes part of your backup repository. This seamless integration with DPX prevents infected files from contaminating your recovery options while providing detailed information about which specific files are affected—all accessible through your existing DPX management console.

Integration with Backup Systems

GuardMode works as an agent that you install on Windows and Linux servers. It monitors file systems in real-time, watching for suspicious activity like unusual file access patterns, rapid encryption processes, and other behaviors that indicate ransomware activity.
The system integrates directly with Catalogic’s DPX backup software, but it’s designed with an open architecture. It provides REST APIs and supports standard logging protocols (syslog), allowing it to work with existing backup infrastructure and security management systems.

When GuardMode detects suspicious activity, it can automatically trigger protective actions. For example, it can make file shares read-only to prevent further damage, create immediate backup snapshots of clean data, or send alerts to both backup and security teams through existing notification systems.

Key Differences from Standard Security Software

Traditional endpoint security tools like antivirus software and firewalls are designed to block threats from entering your network. They excel at identifying known malware signatures and preventing suspicious downloads or email attachments from executing.
GuardMode takes a different approach and complements their functionality. Instead of trying to stop ransomware from running, it assumes that some threats will get through other defenses. It focuses on detecting the damage that ransomware causes—specifically, the file encryption and modification patterns that indicate an active attack.
This behavioral detection approach means GuardMode can identify new ransomware variants that don’t match existing signature databases. It looks for the effects of ransomware rather than the ransomware code itself, making it effective against both known and unknown threats.

Another key difference is timing. Traditional security tools try to catch threats immediately when they enter your system. GuardMode operates continuously, monitoring the ongoing health of your data environment and detecting threats that may have been dormant or slowly spreading over time. By preventing anything unwanted to sneak into your valuable data, it serves as a true Ransomware Protection for Backups.

Target Users: Backup Administrators and IT Teams

GuardMode was specifically designed for backup administrators—the people responsible for ensuring data can be recovered when something goes wrong. While security teams focus on preventing attacks, backup teams need tools that help them understand and respond to attacks that have already occurred.
The software provides backup administrators with capabilities they traditionally haven’t had access to:

• Visibility into data health: Understanding which files have been compromised and which remain clean
• Granular recovery options: Ability to restore only affected files rather than entire systems
• Integration with backup workflows: Alerts and responses that work within existing backup processes
• Recovery guidance: Step-by-step assistance for restoring compromised data

IT teams benefit from GuardMode because it bridges the gap between security detection and data recovery. When an attack occurs, IT staff get detailed information about the scope of damage and clear options for restoration, reducing the guesswork and panic that often accompanies ransomware incidents.
The system is also valuable for IT teams managing hybrid environments with both on-premises and cloud infrastructure. GuardMode can monitor file shares and storage systems across different platforms, providing consistent protection regardless of where data is stored.

Conclusion

GuardMode represents a shift from reactive to proactive data protection, giving backup teams the tools they need to detect threats early and respond effectively. By focusing specifically on the backup administrator’s needs rather than trying to be a general-purpose security solution, it fills a critical gap in most organizations’ ransomware defense strategies and focuses on being Ransomware Protection for Backups.

In our next blog post, we’ll dive deeper into GuardMode’s technical capabilities, exploring its detection methods, monitoring features, and recovery options. We’ll also look at practical implementation considerations and real-world use cases that demonstrate how organizations are using GuardMode to improve their ransomware resilience.

Here at Catalogic we can’t stress enough that having solid backups isn’t just important -it’s essential. But what happens when the backups themselves become targets? We’ve built a modern storage solution to address exactly that concern. That means that DPX customers are in a particularly fortunate position. Rather than having to shop around for a compatible backup storage solution, they get vStor included right in the DPX suite. This means they automatically benefit from enterprise-grade features like data deduplication, compression, and most importantly, robust immutability controls that can lock backups against unauthorized changes.

By combining DPX’s backup capabilities with vStor’s secure storage foundation, organizations gain a complete protection system that doesn’t require proprietary hardware or complex integration work. It’s a practical, cost-effective approach to ensuring your business data remains safe and recoverable, no matter what threats emerge.

Intro

This article will guide you through features and benefits of using vStor. For a lot of our customers it’s a refresher but might also be a good reminder to make sure you’re using the latest and greatest and most importantly – all the benefits that this solution is offering. Let’s start!

Catalogic vStor is a software-defined storage appliance designed primarily as a backup repository for Catalogic’s DPX data protection software. It runs on commodity hardware (physical or virtual) and leverages the ZFS file system to provide enterprise features like inline deduplication, compression, and replication on standard servers. This approach creates a cost-effective yet resilient repository that frees organizations from proprietary backup appliances and vendor lock-in.

Storage Capabilities

Flexible Deployment and Storage Pools: vStor runs on various platforms (VMware, Hyper-V, physical servers) and uses storage pools to organize raw disks. Administrators can aggregate multiple disks (DAS, SAN LUNs) into expandable pools that grow with data needs. As a software-defined solution, vStor works with any block device without proprietary restrictions.

Volume Types and Protocol Support: vStor offers versatile volume types including block devices exported as iSCSI LUNs (ideal for incremental-forever backups) and file-based storage supporting NFS and SMB protocols (commonly used for agentless VM backups). The system supports multiple network interfaces and multipathing for high availability in SAN environments.

Object Storage: A standout feature in vStor 4.12 is native S3-compatible object storage technology. Each appliance includes an object storage server allowing administrators to create S3-compatible volumes with their own access/secret keys and web console. This enables organizations to keep backups on-premises in an S3-compatible repository rather than sending them immediately to public cloud. The object storage functionality supports features like Object Lock for immutability.

Scalability: Being software-defined, vStor can scale-out with multiple instances rather than being limited to a single appliance. Organizations can deploy nodes across different sites with varying specifications based on local needs. There’s no proprietary hardware requirement—any server with adequate resources can become a vStor node, contrasting with traditional purpose-built backup appliances.

Data Protection and Recovery

Backup Snapshots and Incremental Forever: vStor leverages ZFS snapshot technology to take point-in-time images of backup volumes without consuming full duplicates of data. Each backup is preserved as an immutable snapshot containing only changed blocks, aligning with incremental-forever strategies. Using Catalogic’s Snapshot Explorer or mounting volume snapshots, administrators can directly access backup content to verify data or extract files without affecting the backup chain.

Volume Replication and Disaster Recovery: vStor provides point-to-point replication between appliances for disaster recovery and remote office backup consolidation. Using partnerships, volumes on one vStor can be replicated to another. Replication is typically asynchronous and snapshot-based, transferring only changed data to minimize bandwidth. vStor 4.12 introduces replication groups to simplify managing multiple volume replications as a cohesive unit.

Recovery Features: Since backups are captured as snapshots, recoveries can be performed in-place or by presenting backup data to production systems. Instant Access recovery allows mounting a backup volume directly to a host via iSCSI or NFS, enabling immediate access to backed-up data or even booting virtual machines directly from backups—significantly reducing downtime. Catalogic DPX offers Rapid Return to Production (RRP) leveraging snapshot capabilities to transition mounted backups into permanent recoveries with minimal data copying.

Security and Compliance

User Access Control and Multi-Tenancy: vStor implements role-based access with Admin and Standard user roles. Standard users can be limited to specific storage pools, enabling multi-tenant scenarios where departments share a vStor but can’t access each other’s backup volumes. Management actions require authentication, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) is supported for additional security.

Data Encryption: vStor 4.12 supports volume encryption for data confidentiality. When creating a volume, administrators can enable encryption for all data written to disk. For operational convenience, vStor provides an auto-unlock mechanism via an “Encryption URL” setting, retrieving encryption keys from a remote secure server accessible via SSH. Management traffic uses HTTPS, and replication between vStors can be secured and compressed.

Immutability and Deletion Protection: One standout security feature is data immutability control. Snapshots and volumes can be locked against deletion or modification for defined retention periods—crucial for ransomware defense. vStor offers two immutability modes: Flexible Protection (requiring MFA to unlock) and Fixed Protection (WORM-like locks that cannot be lifted until the specified time expires). These controls help meet compliance standards and improve resilience against malicious attacks.

Ransomware Detection (GuardMode): vStor 4.12 introduces GuardMode Scan, which examines backup snapshots for signs of ransomware infection. Administrators can run on-demand scans on mounted snapshots or enable automatic scanning of new snapshots. If encryption patterns or ransomware footprints are detected, the system alerts administrators, turning vStor from passive storage into an active cybersecurity component.

Performance and Efficiency Optimizations

Inline Deduplication: vStor leverages ZFS deduplication to eliminate duplicate blocks and save storage space. This is particularly effective for backup data with high redundancy (e.g., VMs with identical OS files). Typical deduplication ratios range from 2:1 to 4:1 depending on data type, with some scenarios achieving 7:1 when combined with compression. vStor applies deduplication inline as data is ingested and provides controls to manage resource usage.

Compression: Complementary to deduplication, vStor enables compression on all data written to the pool. Depending on data type, compression can reduce size by 1.5:1 to 3:1. The combination of deduplication and compression significantly reduces the effective cost per terabyte of backup storage—critical for large retention policies.

Performance Tuning: vStor inherits ZFS tuning capabilities for optimizing both write and read performance. Administrators can configure SSDs as write log devices (ZIL) and read caches (L2ARC) to boost performance for operations like instant recovery. vStor allows adding such devices to pool configurations to enhance I/O throughput and reduce latency.

Network Optimizations: vStor provides network optimization options including bandwidth throttling for replication and compression of replication streams. Organizations can dedicate different network interfaces to specific traffic types (management, backup, replication). With proper hardware (SSD caching, adequate CPU), vStor can rival traditional backup appliances in throughput without proprietary limitations.

Integration and Automation

DPX Integration: vStor integrates seamlessly with Catalogic DPX backup software. In the DPX console, administrators can define backup targets corresponding to vStor volumes (iSCSI or S3). DPX then handles writing backup data and tracking it in the catalog. vStor’s embedded MinIO makes it possible to have an on-premises S3 target for DPX backups, achieving cloud-like storage locally.

Third-Party Integration: While optimized for DPX, vStor’s standard protocols (iSCSI, NFS, SMB, S3) enable integration with other solutions. Third-party backup software can leverage vStor as a target, and virtualization platforms can use it for VM backups. This openness differentiates vStor from many backup appliances that only work with paired software.

Cloud Integration: vStor 4.12 can function as a gateway to cloud storage. A vStor instance can be deployed in cloud environments as a replication target from on-premises systems. Through MinIO or DPX, vStor supports archiving to cloud providers (AWS, Azure, Wasabi) with features like S3 Object Lock for immutability.

Automation: vStor provides both a Command Line Interface (CLI) and RESTful API for automation. All web interface capabilities are mirrored in CLI commands, enabling integration with orchestration tools like Ansible or PowerShell. The REST API enables programmatic control for monitoring systems or custom portals, fitting into DevOps workflows.

Operations and Monitoring

Management Interface: vStor provides a web-based interface for configuration and operations. The dashboard summarizes pool capacities, volume statuses, and replication activity. The interface includes sections for Storage, Data Protection, and System settings, allowing administrators to quickly view system health and perform actions.

System Configuration: Day-to-day operations include managing network settings, time configuration (NTP), certificates, and system maintenance. vStor supports features like disk rescanning to detect new storage without rebooting, simplifying expansion procedures.

Health Monitoring: vStor displays alarm statuses in the UI for events like replication failures or disk errors. For proactive monitoring, administrators should track pool capacity trends and replication lag. While built-in alerting appears limited, the system can be integrated with external monitoring tools.

Support and Troubleshooting: vStor includes support bundle generation that packages logs and configurations for Catalogic support. The documentation covers common questions and best practices, such as preferring fewer large pools over many small ones to reduce fragmentation.

Conclusion

Catalogic vStor 4.12 delivers a comprehensive backup storage solution combining enterprise-grade capabilities with robust data protection. Its security features (MFA, immutability, ransomware scanning) provide protection against cyber threats, while performance optimizations ensure cost-effective long-term storage without sacrificing retrieval speeds.

vStor stands out for its flexibility and openness compared to proprietary backup appliances. It can be deployed on existing hardware and brings similar space-saving technologies while adding unique features like native object storage and ransomware detection.

Common use cases include:

• Data center backup repository for enterprise-wide backups
• Remote/branch office backup with replication to central sites
• Ransomware-resilient backup store with immutability
• Archive and cloud gateway for tiered backup storage
• Test/dev environments using snapshot capabilities

By deploying vStor, organizations modernize their data protection infrastructure transforming a standard backup repository into a smart, resilient, and scalable platform that actively contributes to overall data management strategy.

Ransomware is a serious threat that just keeps growing, and it’s something that should be on every IT leader’s radar. I’ve seen how quickly these attacks can bring an organization to its knees, and the fallout is often devastating. The bad guys aren’t just after your live data anymore—they’re going after your backups, too. And let’s face it: if your backups get hit, your recovery options start looking pretty bleak.
This is exactly why, being focused on Enhancing Cybersecurity in Data Protection, we developed GuardMode and embedded it into our vStor platform. Because it’s not just about backing up your data; it’s about keeping an eye on things and catching those threats before they have a chance to wreak havoc. So, this time, let’s take a sneak peek into something that is going to be available soon with the 4.11 release of DPX Enterprise Data Protection Suite.

Enhancing Cybersecurity with GuardMode

GuardMode is an agent-based solution designed to protect your backup environment from ransomware by detecting and preventing threats before they can cause significant damage. What sets GuardMode apart is its combination of proactive monitoring and reactive scanning, offering a comprehensive defense against ransomware that ensures your backups remain clean and secure.

Proactive Monitoring and Anomaly Detection

Typically, GuardMode is deployed on the infrastructure from which the backup is created and continuously monitors file access patterns, looking for anomalies that could indicate ransomware activity. By analyzing the frequency and sequence of file accesses, GuardMode can detect unusual behavior that might signal the early stages of an attack. This proactive approach is crucial to catching ransomware before it has the chance to spread and infect your backups.

Detection of Abnormal File Structures

Ransomware often alters files in ways that create abnormal structures or encrypted content. GuardMode excels at detecting these anomalies by analyzing file metadata and entropy levels, allowing it to identify encrypted or corrupted files. This ensures that such compromised files are flagged and prevented from being included in your backups, maintaining the integrity of your stored data.

Advanced Scanning with YARA Integration

One of the key strengths of GuardMode is its integration with YARA, a tool used for identifying and classifying malware. This allows GuardMode to perform deep, on-demand scans of binary files, searching for structures and patterns specific to ransomware. This advanced scanning capability adds an extra layer of security, ensuring that even sophisticated ransomware attempts are detected and neutralized before they can do harm.

Honeypots and File Integrity Monitoring

GuardMode also deploys honeypots—decoy files with known checksums that are designed to lure ransomware. By monitoring these honey pots for any unauthorized access, GuardMode can quickly identify and isolate malicious processes. Additionally, GuardMode’s File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) tracks changes to files over time, providing a clear audit trail. If ransomware does manage to alter files, FIM helps you reconcile these changes and restore only the affected data, ensuring that your backups remain clean.

On-Demand Scanning

In addition to its continuous monitoring, GuardMode offers on-demand scanning capabilities. This allows you to manually trigger scans whenever you suspect a threat, giving you control over the timing and scope of your data integrity checks.

Instant Alerts

The moment GuardMode detects something unusual, it alerts you immediately. This gives you precious time to act—whether that’s isolating a compromised system, blocking an IP, or whatever else needs to be done to stop the spread.

Integration of GuardMode with vStor

The integration of GuardMode with vStor enhances the security and integrity of your backup environment by allowing for advanced scanning of backed-up file systems once they are made available through vStor’s Snapshot Explorer feature. This integration is particularly valuable in scenarios where backups are stored for extended periods and are not frequently accessed or modified.

Snapshot Explorer and On-Demand Scanning

vStor’s Snapshot Explorer is a powerful tool that allows you to browse and access snapshots of your backed-up data. Once a snapshot is made available through Snapshot Explorer, GuardMode steps in to scan these file systems for any signs of malicious activity, such as encrypted files, abnormal file structures, or suspicious metadata that could indicate a ransomware presence.

The ability to perform these scans on demand is crucial because backups are typically inactive datasets that are not regularly written to or altered. This means that while active monitoring for ongoing changes might be less critical, the need to thoroughly scan and vet these inactive file-sets for any signs of compromise is paramount. By leveraging GuardMode’s advanced scanning capabilities, you can ensure that even these dormant backups are free from hidden threats before they are restored or used in any capacity.

Focused Scanning for Suspicious Files

GuardMode’s integration with vStor focuses on identifying suspicious files within these inactive datasets. The tool scans for known ransomware patterns, encrypted files, and anomalies in file structure and metadata. It even uses YARA rules to perform deep analysis of binary files, helping to detect and classify potential malware that might be lurking in your backup sets.

Benefits of Integration

The synergy between GuardMode and vStor’s Snapshot Explorer ensures that your backups are not just stored securely but are also free from any underlying threats that could compromise your data integrity. This integration provides a more thorough approach to backup security, focusing on the critical task of verifying the safety and cleanliness of your data before it’s reintroduced into your production environment. By offering these on-demand scanning capabilities, GuardMode ensures that your backup data remains a reliable, untouchable resource, even in the face of evolving cyber threats.

Peace of Mind with Data Immutability

When it comes to data protection, simply backing up your files isn’t enough. You need to know that once your data is stored, it’s absolutely safe—untouchable, in fact. This is where data immutability steps in. With vStor, immutability ensures that once your data is written to a backup, it’s locked down tight. No one, not even ransomware, can alter or delete it. It’s like putting your data in a vault and throwing away the key—except you still have full access whenever you need it.

What makes vStor’s approach particularly effective is its flexibility in how immutability can be applied. You have the option to set flexible locks, which allow for some level of management and adjustment if needed (with MFA), or fixed locks, which are ironclad and cannot be altered until a specified retention period has passed. This gives you control over how long your data remains immutable and how accessible it needs to be during that time.

Immutability at the Replication Level

But immutability with vStor doesn’t just stop at the storage level. It can also be applied at the replication level, meaning that even your replicated data is safeguarded with the same level of immutability. This ensures that a copy of your data in a disaster recovery location can remain protected against tampering and deletion under the same or different, more strict rules. It’s an added layer of security that’s particularly valuable in scenarios where data is being transferred across sites or stored in multiple locations.

Here’s the best part: this level of protection is typically found in high-end, enterprise systems that come with a hefty price tag. But with vStor, you get this advanced feature without the need to invest in additional hardware or make significant changes to your existing infrastructure. It’s all built into the system, ready to go from day one. So, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your data is fully protected without the stress of managing complex setups or blowing your budget on costly add-ons.

By integrating immutability into both storage and replication, vStor ensures that your data is not just backed up—it’s safeguarded against the ever-evolving threats that could jeopardize your business. Whether you’re dealing with ransomware, accidental deletions, or any other risk, you can rest easy knowing that your data is locked down and untouchable until you decide otherwise.

Why This Matters

You might be wondering, “Is this really something I need?” The short answer is yes. Ransomware isn’t going anywhere, and it’s only getting more sophisticated. Traditional backup methods aren’t enough to protect you anymore. If your backups are compromised, the recovery process becomes a nightmare, and that’s assuming you even have data left to recover.
GuardMode and data immutability give you a fighting chance. They don’t just protect your data; they also protect your ability to bounce back after an attack. And let’s be real, when it comes to cybersecurity, being able to recover quickly and fully is what keeps the lights on and the doors open.

Wrapping Up

In a world where ransomware is constantly evolving, having a backup solution that just stores data isn’t enough. You need a system that’s watching your back, looking out for threats, and keeping your data safe no matter what. That’s what GuardMode and data immutability are all about. They give you peace of mind, knowing that your backups are secure and ready to go if the worst happens.
And the best part? It’s all built into vStor, so you don’t have to jump through hoops to get this level of protection. It’s just there, working quietly in the background, so you can focus on running your business, not fighting off cybercriminals.

Professionals in State, Local, and Educational (SLED) circles are in a tough spot. They’ve got to keep their data safe under a tight budget, battling against costly and stormy cyber threats. It’s a complex battlefield, no doubt. This post lists the 11 biggest challenges SLED organizations are facing right now when it comes to protecting their precious information. We’re talking about the must-tackle zones that need smart moves and sharp strategies to keep sensitive data under lock and key.

Top 11 SLED Data Protection Challenges

1. Comprehensive Risk Assessment: Effective data protection starts with understanding the landscape of potential threats. SLED organizations must regularly perform risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities in their information systems.

   These assessments should evaluate the susceptibility of data assets to cyber threats, physical damage, and human error. By pinpointing areas of weakness, SLED entities can prioritize security enhancements, tailor their cybersecurity strategies to address specific risks, and allocate resources more effectively.

   This proactive approach ensures that protective measures are aligned with the actual risk profile, enhancing the overall security posture of the organization.

2. Budget-Conscious Cybersecurity Solutions: Amid financial constraints, SLED entities must find cybersecurity solutions that are both effective and economical. By exploring cost-effective measures, organizations can achieve robust security against complex threats without exceeding budgetary limits.

   These solutions should offer scalability and flexibility, allowing for the efficient allocation of resources in response to changing cybersecurity demands. Emphasizing the importance of strategic investment, SLED entities can enhance their cybersecurity posture through smart, budget-friendly choices, ensuring the protection of critical data and services against evolving digital threats.

3. Encryption of Sensitive Data: Encryption transforms sensitive data into a coded format, making it inaccessible to unauthorized individuals. For SLED entities, encrypting data at rest (stored data) and in transit (data being transmitted) is crucial.

   This ensures that personal information, financial records, and other confidential data are protected against unauthorized access and breaches. Encryption serves as a robust line of defense, safeguarding data even if physical security measures fail or if data is intercepted during transmission.

   Implementing strong encryption standards is a key requirement for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information within SLED organizations.

4. Multi-factor Authentication (MFA): MFA adds a critical security layer by requiring users to provide two or more verification factors to access data systems. This approach significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access due to compromised credentials.

   By combining something the user knows (like a password) with something the user has (such as a security token or a smartphone app confirmation), MFA ensures that stolen or guessed passwords alone are not enough to breach systems.

   For SLED entities, implementing MFA is essential for protecting access to sensitive systems and data, particularly in an era of increasing phishing attacks and credential theft.

5. Data Backup Regularity: Regular, scheduled backups are essential for ensuring data integrity and availability. SLED organizations must establish a stringent backup schedule that reflects the value and sensitivity of their data.

   This involves determining which data sets are critical for operations and ensuring they are backed up frequently enough to minimize data loss in the event of a system failure, data corruption, or cyberattack. Regular backups, combined with comprehensive inventory and classification of data, ensure that all vital information is recoverable, supporting the continuity of operations and services.

6. Offsite and Immutable Backup Storage: Storing backups offsite and using immutable storage mediums protects against a range of threats, including natural disasters, physical damage, and ransomware attacks. Offsite storage ensures that a physical event (like a fire or flood) at the primary site does not compromise the ability to recover data.

   Immutable storage prevents data from being altered or deleted once written, offering a safeguard against malicious attempts to compromise backup integrity. For SLED entities, these practices are integral to a resilient data protection strategy, ensuring data can be restored to maintain public service continuity.

7. Testing and Validation of Backup Integrity: Regular testing of backups for integrity and restorability is crucial. This process verifies that data can be effectively restored from backups when necessary.

   SLED organizations must implement procedures to periodically test backup solutions, ensuring that data is not only being backed up correctly but can also be restored in a timely and reliable manner.

   This practice identifies potential issues with backup processes or media, allowing for corrective actions before an actual disaster occurs. It’s a critical step in ensuring the operational readiness of data recovery strategies.

8. Data Minimization and Retention Policies: Data minimization and retention policies are about storing only what is necessary and for as long as it is needed. This approach reduces the volume of data vulnerable to cyber threats and aligns with privacy regulations that require the deletion of personal data once its purpose has been fulfilled.

   SLED organizations should establish clear guidelines on data collection, storage, and deletion, ensuring unnecessary or outdated data is systematically purged. These policies help mitigate risks related to data breaches and ensure compliance with data protection laws, minimizing legal and reputational risks.

9. Incident Response and Recovery Planning: An incident response plan outlines procedures for addressing data breaches, cyberattacks, or other security incidents. It includes identifying and responding to incidents, mitigating damages, and communicating with stakeholders.

   Recovery planning focuses on restoring services and data after an incident. For SLED entities, having a well-defined, regularly tested incident response and recovery plan is vital. It ensures preparedness to act swiftly in the face of security incidents, minimizing impact and downtime, and facilitating a quicker return to normal operations.

10. Compliance with Legal and Regulatory Requirements: SLED organizations are subject to a complex web of regulations concerning data protection and privacy. Compliance involves adhering to laws and regulations like FERPA for educational institutions, HIPAA for health-related entities, and various state data breach notification laws.

    Ensuring compliance requires a thorough understanding of these regulations, implementing necessary controls, and regularly reviewing policies and procedures to accommodate changes in the law. This not only protects individuals’ privacy but also shields organizations from legal penalties and reputational damage.

11. Employee Training and Awareness Programs: Human error remains a significant vulnerability in data protection. Training and awareness programs are crucial for educating employees about their roles in safeguarding data, recognizing phishing attempts, and following organizational policies and procedures.

    Regular training ensures that staff are aware of the latest threats and best practices for data security. For SLED entities, fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches caused by insider threats or negligence, making it an essential component of any data protection strategy.

Facing these challenges highlights the urgent need for a smart plan that fixes today’s security problems and gets ready for tomorrow’s dangers. To tackle these big issues, a set of solutions is designed to close the gap between possible risks and the strong protections needed to stop them. These solutions show us how to go from spotting cybersecurity issues to putting strong safeguards in place. This shows a forward-thinking and thorough way to keep the digital and day-to-day operations of SLED organizations safe.

What Are the Solutions to the Top 11 Challenges Faced by SLED?

• Automated and Scheduled Backups: To ensure data is regularly backed up without relying on manual processes, which can lead to gaps in the backup schedule. 
• Affordable and Flexible License: Emphasizes the need for cost-effective and adaptable licensing models that allow SLED entities to scale security services according to budget and needs, ensuring essential cybersecurity tools are accessible without financial strain.
• Encryption and Security: Strong encryption for data at rest and in transit, ensures that sensitive information remains secure from unauthorized access.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Support for MFA to secure access to the backup software, reducing the risk of unauthorized access due to compromised credentials.
• Immutable Backup Options: The ability to create immutable backups that cannot be altered or deleted once they are written, protecting against ransomware and malicious attacks.
• Offsite and Cloud Backup Capabilities: Features that enable backups to be stored offsite or in the cloud, providing protection against physical disasters and enabling scalability.
• Integrity Checking and Validation: Tools for automatically verifying the integrity of backups to ensure they are complete and can be successfully restored when needed.
• Data Minimization and Retention Management: Capabilities for setting policies on data retention, ensuring that only necessary data is kept and that old data is securely deleted in compliance with policies and regulations.
• Incident Response Features: Integration with incident response tools and workflows, enabling quick action in the event of a data breach or loss scenario.
• Compliance Reporting and Audit Trails: Tools for generating reports and logs that demonstrate compliance with relevant regulations and policies, aiding in audit processes.
• User Training and Awareness Resources: Availability of resources or integrations with training platforms to educate users on best practices and threats, enhancing the overall security posture.

Key Takeaways

SLED organizations must urgently tackle data protection challenges as they protect sensitive information from growing cyber threats. This blog shows the complex task of keeping public sector data safe, emphasizing the need for encryption, regular backups, following the law, and teaching employees about cybersecurity.

Facing these challenges head-on requires not just understanding and diligence, but also the right partnership. Catalogic Software data protection experts are ready to bolster your cyber resilience. Our team specializes in empowering SLED IT managers with tailored solutions that address the unique threats and compliance requirements facing public sector organizations today.

Contact us today!

The digital landscape often resembles the perilous universe of ‘The Matrix’. Especially for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) it means that they are finding themselves in a constant battle against a formidable enemy: ransomware. The threat is real, and the stakes are high. It’s no longer about if you will be targeted, but when. This guide dives into why SMBs must take ransomware seriously and how they can fortify their defenses.

What is Ransomware and How Does It Work?

Ransomware, a form of malware, has been wreaking havoc across the globe. It works by encrypting data on a victim’s system and demanding a ransom for its release. The evolution of ransomware from its early days to modern, sophisticated variants like WannaCry and CryptoLocker showcases its growing threat. The impact of a ransomware attack can be devastating, ranging from financial losses to reputational damage.

Understanding the mechanics of ransomware is crucial. It typically enters through phishing emails or unsecured networks, encrypts data, and leaves a ransom note demanding payment, often in cryptocurrency. Unfortunately, paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee the return of data and encourages further attacks.

Why Are SMBs Prime Targets for Ransomware?

Contrary to popular belief, SMBs are often more vulnerable to ransomware attacks than larger corporations. Why? Many SMBs lack robust cybersecurity measures, making them low-hanging fruit for threat actors. The assumption that they’re “too small to be targeted” is a dangerous misconception.

SMBs are attractive to ransomware perpetrators for their valuable data and limited resources to defend against such attacks. These businesses play a critical role in supply chains, and disrupting their operations can have cascading effects. The cost of a ransomware attack for an SMB can be crippling, affecting their ability to operate and recover.

Which types of attacks pose the highest risk to SMBs in 2023?

According to SecurityIntelligence.com, there was a 41% increase in Ransomware attacks in 2022, and identification and remediation for a breach took 49 days longer than the average breach, a trend expected to continue in 2023 and beyond. Additionally, Phishing attacks surged by 48% in the first half of 2022, resulting in 11,395 reported incidents globally, with businesses collectively facing a total loss of $12.3 million.

Moreover, statistics indicate that no industry is immune to cyber threats:

• In Healthcare, stolen hospital records account for 95% of general identity theft.
• Within Education, 30% of users have fallen victim to phishing attacks since 2019. Additionally, 96% of decision-makers in the educational sector believe their organizations are susceptible to external cyberattacks, with 71% admitting they are unprepared to defend against them.
• Fintech experiences 80% of data breaches due to lacking or reused passwords, despite spending only 5% to 20% of their IT budget on security.
• The United States remains the most highly targeted country, with 46% of global cyberattacks directed towards Americans. Nearly 80% of nation-state attackers target government agencies, think tanks, and other non-government organizations.

How Can SMBs Defend Against Ransomware Attacks?

Defending against ransomware requires a proactive approach. SMBs should invest in ransomware protection strategies that include regular data backups, employee education, and robust security measures.

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) systems can identify and mitigate threats before they cause harm. Regularly updating software and systems helps close security loopholes. Employee training is crucial, as human error often leads to successful ransomware infections. Understanding and preparing for different types of ransomware attacks can significantly reduce vulnerability.

Recovering from a Ransomware Attack: What Should SMBs Do?

If an SMB falls victim to a ransomware attack, quick and effective action is vital. The first step is to isolate infected systems to prevent the spread of the ransomware. Contacting cybersecurity professionals for assistance in safely removing the ransomware and attempting data recovery is essential.

It’s generally advised not to pay the ransom, as this doesn’t guarantee data recovery and fuels the ransomware economy. Instead, focus on recovery and mitigation strategies, including restoring data from backups and reinforcing cybersecurity measures to prevent future attacks.

Ransomware Protection: An Investment, Not a Cost

Many SMBs view cybersecurity, including ransomware protection, as an expense rather than an investment. This mindset needs to change. The cost of a ransomware attack often far exceeds the investment in robust protection measures. Investing in ransomware prevention tools and strategies is essential for safeguarding business continuity and reputation.

In conclusion, ransomware is a serious threat that SMBs can’t afford to overlook. The cost of negligence is much higher than the cost of prevention. Implementing comprehensive cybersecurity measures, staying informed about the latest ransomware news, and fostering a culture of security awareness are crucial steps in building resilience against this growing threat.

Key Takeaways:

1. Understand the Threat: Recognize that ransomware is a significant risk for SMBs.
2. Invest in Protection: Implement robust security measures.
3. Educate Employees: Regularly train employees to recognize and avoid potential threats.
4. Have a Response Plan: Prepare a ransomware response plan for quick action in case of an attack.
5. Regular Backups: Ensure regular backups of critical data to minimize the impact of potential attacks.
6. Consider DPX by Catalogic: Ensure swift, cost-effective backup and recovery solutions safeguarding data from human errors, disasters, and ransomware, with rapid recovery options from disk, tape, and cloud storage.