What Is an Immutable Backup and Why You Should Care Today
So what is an immutable backup? So, what’s an immutable backup? It’s simply a backup that cannot be altered, deleted, or modified in any capacity during a set retention period—not by anyone, including system administrators. Think of an immutable backup as a digital safety deposit box. Once you put the data in the box, nothing can touch it until the time lock expires.
The idea originates from blockchain technology, where the integrity of the data is tied to immutability. But unlike blockchain’s complex implementations, immutable backup solutions focus on one thing: ensuring your backup data remains exactly as it was when created.
“We had a handful of clients who thought they could rely on their traditional backups until their ransomware attackers encrypted their production data and backups,” said Michael Thompson, a cybersecurity analyst who has examined many ransomware cases. “By the time they realized what had occurred, they were faced with the reality of paying millions in ransom or losing years of data.”
This reality check is why immutable backup technology has rapidly shifted from a nice-to-have feature to an essential component of modern data protection strategies. When ransomware can bypass your security and target your backups, having copies that literally cannot be changed becomes your last line of defense.