In this episode of The Backup Wrap-up, W. Curtis Preston and Prasanna Malaiyandi discuss critical strategies for securing your backup disk against cyber threats. They explain why the default configuration of storing backups in easily accessible directories makes your backup disk vulnerable to threat actors who specifically target backup systems before launching attacks.

The conversation covers several effective methods to protect your backup disk, including using proprietary protocols like OST and Boost, implementing Virtual Tape Libraries (VTLs), leveraging dedicated backup appliances, and utilizing object storage both on-premises and in the cloud. Curtis emphasizes that keeping your backup disk out of user space is essential for maintaining security against increasingly sophisticated attackers.

This episode provides practical advice for anyone using disk-based backup systems who wants to ensure their backup disk remains secure and recoverable when needed most.

Ever wonder why your recovery time objective seems impossible to meet? In this episode, we challenge the common assumption that a four-hour RTO is achievable for most organizations. Host W. Curtis Preston and guest Prasanna Malaiyandi discuss why these aggressive recovery time objectives often exist only on paper.

From ransomware attacks to natural disasters, we examine the real-world factors that make rapid recovery more complex than most realize. We break down the differences between recovery time objectives (RTOs) and actual recovery times (RTAs), exploring why organizations need to be more realistic about their recovery capabilities. Whether you're managing backups, planning disaster recovery, or responsible for business continuity, this episode will help you understand what's actually possible when disaster strikes.

Check out these older episodes about how a real disaster unfolds:

https://www.backupwrapup.com/real-life-hurricane-disaster-recover-story/

https://www.backupwrapup.com/disaster-recovery-after-a-hurricane-a-first-hand-account/

In this eye-opening episode about passwords vs passkeys, W. Curtis Preston and Prasanna Malaiyandi expose why traditional password protection isn't enough for your backup systems anymore. They break down the evolution from basic passwords to MFA, and explain why passkeys and FIDO compliance represent the next level in security.

Learn why hackers target backup systems first, how they exploit password vulnerabilities, and why even multi-factor authentication has its weak points. Discover why there hasn't been a single successful attack against FIDO-compliant systems, and why you should be pushing your backup vendors to support passkeys. Whether you're using a traditional backup system or a SaaS solution, this episode gives you the knowledge you need to better protect your last line of defense.

We talked about this previous episode: https://www.backupwrapup.com/how-do-you-authenticate-with-all-new-hardware/