Atempo Blog

Leave your office behind on vacation (but not your data!)

Written by Nick Chrisp | Jul 22, 2021 7:21:16 AM

Summer vacations are fast approaching and despite the health crisis that has hit the world for more than a year, many employees are taking time off. The suitcases are finally packed, the train tickets printed, hotels booked. Your teams are ready to take a well-deserved break...

But during this period of reduced vigilance, anything can happen: cyberattacks, natural disasters, human errors, hardware failures ... Summer or not, your data is never entirely safe from harm. According to a study conducted by Euler Hermes and DFCG in 2018, one in three companies has seen an increase in cyberattacks during the summer period, proof that hackers leave no respite!

What are the best practices to protect your IT infrastructure and data when your IT teams are on vacation? What can you do to ensure the continuity of your activities in the event of a disaster during the summer?  

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protECT REMOTE machines AND LAPTOP COMPUTERS 

Before heading off, ensure your laptops and file servers are well protected. Ideally the backup solution will protect both the laptops and the remote machines and provide rapid recovery in the event of an incident. Some solutions have built-in rself-service restoration, useful if you need to intervene from afar.

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BACKUP AND RECOVERY IN THE CLOUD

Companies have massively migrated to the cloud for its costs and scalability benefits. But, if the cloud offers many advantages, it is really important not to rely wholly on your cloud provider. A “3-2-1” backup strategy enables to keep your data safe by keeping 3 copies of your data on 2 different media (disk and tape) with at least one copy off-site for disaster recovery purposes. Never forget that in the event of a disaster, companies are responsible for their own data!

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TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS TO TEST YOUR DRP

Faced with constant IT changes, CTOs should ideally test their DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan) two to three times a year. Time and budgetary constraints frequently prevent teams from running the tests. According to Forrester, 50% of companies run only one test a year. However, an untested DRP invalidates the entire DRP. Take advantage of the summer break to test your DRP in real-life situation and adjust it as necessary. Find how to make your DRP a success by clicking on the image below.

 

RANSOMWARE DOESN'T TAKE VACATIONS!

With our flexible working hours and the use of multiple devices (laptotps, tablets, smartphones, etc.); there is a real risk of ransomware for companies that is heightened during the summer season. Here are some recommendations for your business.

  • Build awareness among employees: they need to learn how to identify untrustworthy websites, malicious emails, suspicious links, etc. You can also test behavior in some situations with audits and tests;
  • Keep your operating system updated to avoid security breaches;
  • Install professional antivirus software and make regular updates;
  • Make regular backups and keep your data on disks, tapes, in the cloud with at least one off-site and air-gapped copy for disaster recovery;
  • Suscribe to a cybercriminality insurance policy to protect when a disaster strikes;
  • Obtain a powerful and efficient solution to help you restore your data and IT infrastructures in the event of a ransomware attack. Find a partner who understands the risks associated with cybercrime, your industry and your processes.

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Downtime or data loss can significantly impact your business: reduced activity, decline in turnover, damaged reputation, etc. Choosing Atempo as a partner helps you to protect your remote machines and laptop computers and keep your data safe in the event of a disaster.

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