Backup immutability has become one of the most talked-about security features when looking at backups and disaster recovery, and for good reason! With ransomware and cyberattacks continuing to rise, IT teams need reliable ways to ensure business-critical data cannot be encrypted, deleted, or tampered with. This is where immutability steps in.
So what exactly is backup immutability? In the most simple terms, immutability means your backup data is locked in a read-only state for a set period of time. Once it is stored in what ever repository, it cannot be modified, encrypted, overwritten, or removed by anyone, including administrators. Even if an attacker gains access to your network, your immutable backups remain safe and unchanged, ready to be restored when needed.
This approach has become especially important as modern ransomware tactics have evolved. Attackers no longer only target live systems. They also try to corrupt or delete backup files, hoping to remove any chance of recovery. Traditional backups can be vulnerable to this, particularly if someone with admin privileges can delete data. Immutable storage removes this weakness by preventing changes altogether during the protection window.
There are several ways immutability can be implemented. Some businesses use cloud backup platforms such as AWS S3 which supports object storage immutability. This works however can be subject to exponential costs with growing request and retrieval costs. Others rely on secure offsite storage or specialised backup appliances with immutability built in. Some organisations choose a partner such as VMhosts to leverage a platform with immutability built in but also a support system designed to help in the most critical time when you need to rely on those backups!
Immutability is not only useful against ransomware. It also protects against accidental deletion, insider threats and misconfigured systems. Even in environments with skilled IT teams, mistakes can happen (for instance Google deleting an Australian Pension funds data), and having an immutable copy ensures data remains recoverable.
Of course, immutability is only one part of a strong backup and disaster recovery strategy. Factors such as backup frequency, retention policies, offsite copies and regular restore testing all play a vital role in ensuring resilience.
By locking down backup data in a tamperproof state, businesses gain the reassurance that their information will be available when they need it, no matter what happens on their network. In a constantly changing threat landscape, this level of protection provides peace of mind and a strong foundation for modern cyber resilience.