As a leading ICT systems integrator and service provider, Softsource vBridge is at the forefront of protecting the data of New Zealand organizations, including major universities and district councils, from rising threats such as ransomware.
In the world of cybercrime, perimeter defense measures are too often defeated. Because there is no silver bullet to keep threat actors out, attention needs to be drawn to how and where data is stored and backed up within organizations.
To enhance its customers’ cybersecurity posture, Softsource vBridge recognized the need for an immutable backup copy so that critical data that could be protected from hacker encryption. This would let customers quickly restore operations in the event of an attack, thus eliminating the attackers’ top pressure point: downtime.
“When organizations are locked out of their data, they can’t operate, trade, pay staff or process invoices. The costs can spiral into millions of dollars, notwithstanding the long-term customer relationship and damage to their reputation that can occur,” said John Ward, Customer Experience Manager, Softsource vBridge.
Cloudian Provides a Secure Solution
Softsource vBridge carefully assessed the full range of data backup options that could deliver immutable storage, including public cloud, hybrid cloud and on-premises solutions.
The company selected Cloudian HyperStore object storage with Object Lock data immutability technology due to its proven ability to protect data from hacker encryption. Other key benefits included Cloudian’s native S3 API, its scalability and value, plus the ability for Softsource vBridge to keep customer data on-premises. This maintains data sovereignty by keeping the data hosted in New Zealand and only accessible from within the country. This would help organizations to meet security and compliance needs and preferences around sensitive data.
Deployed on HPE Servers
Softsource vBridge integrated Cloudian’s technology into its Auckland and Christchurch data centers and deployed it on secure HPE servers. The solution, called “Indelible Backup”, typically employs Veeam’s leading backup, disaster recovery and modern data protection software. Veeam is a key partner to both Softsource vBridge and Cloudian.
Delivers data protection AND cost savings
New Zealand organizations benefiting from the solution include a major New Zealand university, several district councils, and a firm that employs AI to power large, geospatial datasets. All now have peace of mind that their ‘crown jewel’ data assets are protected in the event of a ransomware attack.
In addition to maintaining data sovereignty, regulatory compliance is further bolstered by Indelible Backup’s support for ISO 27001, a stringent information security standard.
Most organizations would expect an increase in costs to support enhanced security, but many of Softsource vBridge’s customers are saving money with the service due to the absence of ingress and egress charges. These charges are typically associated with moving data in and out of the public cloud and can amount to tens of thousands of dollars per month or more depending on the amount of data in play.
Following the initial deployment, Softsource vBridge has almost filled two petabytes of data, equivalent to about 22,000 4K movies, on Cloudian’s platform, with plans to expand the environment for new and existing customers as the partnership grows.
Supports cyber insurance coverage
Softsource vBridge and Cloudian’s partnership expansion comes as organizations in New Zealand and around the world find it increasingly difficult to obtain cyber insurance. One report found that insurance premiums have risen by over 28 per cent, with underwriters attempting to mitigate cyber claim losses with much stricter underwriting requirements.
Data immutability has become a key factor in Softsource vBridge customers’ ability to secure the cyber insurance they need. Further, a number of Cloudian customers report receiving a discount of up to 15 per cent on cyber insurance because of ‘robust data protection’.
“Cyber insurance is often the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff – if you need to activate it, you’ve already lost in a sense. But it’s something New Zealand organizations require. By partnering with Cloudian, we can help organizations get insurance, and we help them avoid needing to use it,” said Ward.
James Wright, Cloudian’s Asia Pacific & Japan Senior Director, concluded that this technology can solve a risk gap many organizations are not aware of until it is too late.
“There’s a wider risk here when organizations believe there is a level of separation between the data they use and its backup copy. In reality, backup copies are vulnerable, something they only realize when they’re attacked and both datasets are compromised,” James said.
“We‘ve designed this system to provide the level of assurance that New Zealand organizations need. The backups are untouchable and are even protected from rogue actors within the organization. The backup copies can be the lifeline organizations need if their perimeter defenses are defeated, a consideration that really is when, not if.”
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