Scality, an international leader in secure and sustainable data storage software, today announced research that reveals the role of immutable data storage in an organization's cybersecurity strategy. The poll, conducted by independent research organization Vanson Bourne of 500 of his IT decision makers in France, Germany, the UK and the US, found that 94% of IT leaders are currently using immutable data storage or plan to do so within the next year. It has been revealed that it is planned to be introduced in . Additionally, 69% believe this form of data storage is fundamental to corporate cybersecurity, while only 12% of companies that have implemented this form consider it non-essential. .
The threat of ransomware is now considered inevitable for organizations, leading to increased reliance on immutable data storage as a key component of cybersecurity toolkits. Immutable storage ensures that data cannot be deleted or modified after it has been written, increasing data security and allowing organizations to recover data with 100% accuracy in the event of a breach. This is especially important given data showing that a quarter of organizations that pay a ransom never recover their data, and only 16% are able to recover their data without paying a ransom.
The study also compared responses from different industries and countries and revealed some interesting variations. For example, we found that manufacturing organizations (95%) are the most likely to implement immutable storage, and 84% believe immutable storage is essential for cybersecurity. Financial services companies, on the other hand, report the least reliance on such storage, with 60% believing it is essential to their company's cybersecurity.
Geographical differences were also evident. The United States (98%) has the highest current or planned implementation levels of immutable storage, followed by France (96%), Germany (94%), and the United Kingdom (85%). The minority of global IT leaders (12%) currently using immutable data storage did not consider it important to their cybersecurity strategy. This sentiment is more pronounced in the UK, where 24% of respondents have it in place but do not consider it mandatory, compared to 11% in France, 9% in the US and 6% in Germany.
Dave Russell, VP of Enterprise Strategy at Veeam Software, emphasized the importance of true immutability. “The widespread adoption of immutable storage is increasing awareness of the critical role that secure backups play as an active defense against cyber-attacks…” he said, adding that IT leaders are “developing zero trust data resiliency. further highlighted opportunities to strengthen cyber resilience through An immutable storage implementation that is truly immutable. ”
However, research points out that not all forms of immutability provide the same level of protection. True object storage solutions are inherently immutable at the architectural level and offer optimal protection. In contrast, other solutions introduce a time delay before the data becomes immutable, reducing the potential for exposure. Being aware of this difference can greatly improve a company's defenses against ransomware attacks.
Scality CMO Paul Speciale argued that immutable data storage acts as “insurance against ransomware.” He argued that being able to quickly restore from immutable backups can determine whether a ransomware attack is successful. “Without truly immutable storage, you become vulnerable to the demands of cybercriminals,” he warned.
The survey revealed that 85% of UK respondents currently rely on immutable storage or plan to do so within the next 12 months, which is the highest in the four regions surveyed. It was the lowest of all. Among UK respondents across all vertical markets, 47% believe immutable storage is central to their company's cybersecurity strategy. In the IT, technology and communications sector, this figure rose to his 54%, the highest score of all sectors surveyed in the UK.
