Ransomware has been a rising threat for individuals and organizations worldwide within the recent decade, and the year-to-year growth of ransomware attacks reached 95% from 2022 to 2023. An organization that wants to keep IT systems up and running must have a solution to safeguard data against ransomware. For you to make a thorough choice, we’ve created a list of the top 5 leading ransomware protection solutions with their most significant strengths highlighted. The solutions’ descriptions also include points that might require some improvement.
Here are the top 5 solutions providing ransomware protection for data backups:
1. NAKIVO Backup & Replication
NAKIVO Backup & Replication is the top contender on the list, providing reliable ransomware protection for various backup storage locations. With the NAKIVO solution, you can enable immutability for backup copies in Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, and Wasabi cloud storage, as well as in NAS and Linux-based repositories. Immutable backups can’t be encrypted or deleted throughout the set period, meaning that you can use such backups for recovery even if ransomware reaches your backup storage.
Another argument strengthening NAKIVO’s position is the support for hybrid cloud environments and diverse workloads on platforms such as VMware, Hyper-V, Nutanix AHV, and Amazon EC2. Such capabilities enable solid ransomware protection for any data you back up with NAKIVO Backup & Replication.
The only downside we found was the complicated licensing, which was challenging to understand and decide on the plan and feature set needed for a specific environment.
2. Commvault Complete Backup & Recovery
Commvault is a comprehensive suite of backup and recovery tools with a low TCO and fast backup and recovery capabilities. Commvault enables you to send backups to different data repositories, including on-premises, hybrid cloud and public clouds, then use anti-ransomware features for those backups to enhance protection. The solution is versatile enough and can suit the data protection requirements of multiple organizations regardless of their size.
The main downside of the Commvault solution is complex implementation and management. The complexity of features is the reason for increasing staff training expenses and spending additional resources to manage the solution effectively.
3. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is a well-rounded solution with ransomware protection for your organization’s backup data. The solution includes a wide range of features and functionalities such as AI-based antivirus, anti-malware, and endpoint protection management. The protection system includes a behavioral detection engine that can help prevent cyberattacks.
The downside of Acronis’s solution is that some aspects, such as immutable storage and air-gapped backups, are not as enhanced as they could be. The other point that might become a deal breaker is the cost of the solution, which is relatively high if you compare it with available alternatives.
4. Rubrik Converged Data Management
Rubrik Converged Data Management is a solid ransomware protection solution for data residing in different storage locations. For organizations running complex IT environments with multiple sites, Rubrik’s solution is ideal. With advanced data management features included, it can help organizations boost the protection and efficiency of backups to the highest level.
Speaking of drawbacks, Rubrik Converged Data Management is a victim of its own strengths because the solution’s UI feels less intuitive than one could expect. Additionally, smaller organizations would most probably find the solution too expensive to use regardless of the feature set provided.
Unitrends Backup and Recovery provides comprehensive protection against ransomware. Built-in detection, immutability safeguards, and automation for fast recovery after attacks enable efficient mitigation of data loss and downtime incidents. The set of functions makes Unitrends’s solution a versatile option for organizations that require advanced backup and recovery.
On the negative side, some features are not as high-end as those of competitors. For example, the solution could benefit a lot from improvements in such areas as immutable storage and air-gapped backups. Additionally, although Unitrends’s solution is behind competitors in some points, its price can be higher than that of alternatives.
Conclusion
The solutions presented in this top 5 list are all reliable options that can enhance the protection of your organization’s data backups against ransomware. Which solution suits your organization best depends on the specifics of your infrastructure, data policies, management, and budget limitations. A robust solution capable of backup, recovery, and ransomware protection of an organization’s data is a must-have tool to support data availability, compliance, and business continuity.
