Ransomware, malware, virus , hacking.....

[Vilsen]

How to take a safe and reliable
backup?

Usually you have a hard drive connected to it
motherboard somehow and I wonder how
one makes sure that e.g. these
the ransomware attacks don´t
get spread over there and
thus making the entire backup completely useless?

[RIH]

Not if you are using containerisation..
Worth far more than any virus scanner..

[JoeFootball]

e.g. these
the ransomware attacks don´t
get spread over there and
thus making the entire backup completely useless?

Which is one of the reasons why my backups are external.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

e.g. these
the ransomware attacks don´t
get spread over there and
thus making the entire backup completely useless?

Which is one of the reasons why my backups are external.

You nailed it! Right on the head! To add to that, the external backups must be kept offline (ie: powered down and disconnected from the computer) to contamination. It's amazing how many people can't wrap this around their minds, along with those who don't understand the need for backups and those who think RAID in itself is a backup.

[JoeFootball]

And to add to that, the external backups must be kept offline (ie: powered down and disconnected from the computer) to contamination.

Yes, correct indeed. To be clear, when I say external, I do mean disconnected, otherwise it would be part of the system and thus not external. I'd further that concept to my NAS, where even though it's elsewhere on my network, it's technically vulnerable if I were connected to it.

To add to that, for my most critical data, third copies are kept encrypted offsite. So, I have (1) my data on the internal hard drive, (2) my data on a disconnected external device, and (3) a third copy of my critical data kept offsite.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

And to add to that, the external backups must be kept offline (ie: powered down and disconnected from the computer) to contamination.

Yes, correct indeed. To be clear, when I say external, I do mean disconnected, otherwise it would be part of the system and thus not external. I'd further that concept to my NAS, where even though it's elsewhere on my network, it's technically vulnerable if I were connected to it...

Exactly! That's another thing many people have trouble wrapping their minds around.

Btw, I'm not anti-NAS. There are plenty of legitimate reasons for home users to have them, such as a household that uses only small laptops or notebooks with limited storage capacity can use a NAS as a central repository for movies, music, something I won't mention here, etc. that everyone can access. But, unless it stays powered down and disconnected from the network or a computer at all times except while updating the data, a NAS is not a backup.

...To add to that, for my most critical data, third copies are kept encrypted offsite. So, I have (1) my data on the internal hard drive, (2) my data on a disconnected external device, and (3) a third copy of my critical data kept offsite.

Your hammer must be getting worn out because you keep hitting the nail on the head! Your example is a scenario most often recommended to reasonably ensure one's data is safe. It's also important that, assuming the backups are on external drives, the onsite backup and the offsite backups be swapped out as often as is practical to keep both as up to date as possible.

Being the paranoid old broad I am, I have far more backups but they still are based on that same principle of keeping data on a computer, on an onsite external backup drive kept disconnected from the computer and powered down at all times except while updating the backup, and on an offsite external backup drive.

I cringe every time I see someone promoting automatic backups or asks how to set one up since that requires that the backup location be accessible at all times, exposed it to the dangers that could compromise the original data.

Also, if one were to shut down a computer while an automatic backup update was in progress, the backup could become corrupted. I actually corrupted a backup once because, in a moment of stupidity, I shut down the program updating the backup prematurely, borking the backup drive. Fortunately, the original data remained intact and I had other backups I could fall back on if I done worse damage than I did so all I had to do was reformat the backup drive and repopulate it.

[cliffcoggin]

When I say that I do not want to be rude or step on someone's toes,
it's depressing to see that some people have only one thing to say:

What is the point of repeating advice on a topic that arises time and time again on this forum, not to mention the specific topic (viewtopic.php?f=90&t=358408) that others had pointed you to? With nearly 600 posts to your name you must surely have seen at least some of those topics. If you have not, I have to ask why failed to search first.

[gittiest personITW]

Hi Mike,
For some reason any comment seems to almost cause an argument which isn't intended, but I'll waste a little more time. Not much more though.

The ISO incident is not the same as a virus being delivered remotely.
The forum incident, which I've not heard of but even if it is true, again, is also not the same as a virus.
These are very different security incidents - both of which have nothing to do with the user's actions or, if the backdoor was done properly, would most likely not have been picked up by AV.

Hi,

Both incidents (ISO and forum) are the results of an attack against a server, using an exploit. Since this server probably runs Linux, I just took it as example of known, successful attacks on a Linux system or its server program.

Home users are not exposed to this kind of attack, except if they set-up a server on their computer, but are exposed to attacks when browsing, through malicious code on a web page.

Though it appears as different things in a first approach, in both case it is an exploit of a vulnerability.

Regards,

MN

Hi Mike,
Yes, you're probably correct about the servers being run on Linux. However, that is a totally different kettle of bananas to personal computers. I've read some of your posts previously and you are obviously experienced, so its not worth arguing about what differences there are between a server and SOHO pc.
Anyhow - if you are willing to run AV and have the time and ability to discern the output of a rootkit scanner, then best of luck to you on that. Please do let us know if anything genuine crops up.

Hi Vilsen,
You're not actually reading all of the replies it seems as there are already many posts about backing up to external drives and disconnecting them afterwards.
The main thread, as many others have already said, is and most likely will be for some time to come, split on the subject but no one can tell you definitively you should or shouldn't use AV.

Can we let sleeping dogs wear socks, or get some cooks to not fight each other over some broth or even stop the rolling stones rolling around as they get dirty?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...Can we let sleeping dogs wear socks, or get some cooks to not fight each other over some broth or even stop the rolling stones rolling around as they get dirty?

WOW! Talk about mixed (or mixed up) metaphors!

For the record, I love mixed metaphors!

[gittiest personITW]

And, for the record, please could you let me know the link where you got your avatar? It always tickles my insides in a pleasant way.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

And, for the record, please could you let me know the link where you got your avatar? It always tickles my insides in a pleasant way.

Are you talking to me (sorry for the bad deNiro imitation).

All seriousness aside, I've had that avatar for so long, I can't remember where I got it. Just search for images of emus.

[Moem]

Mod note:

Please be so kind to remember that this is a Support topic, not Open Chat. Thanks!

[RollyShed]

And to add to that, the external backups must be kept offline (ie: powered down and disconnected from the computer) to contamination.

Basically what I also said a dozen messages before - "An off-line backup disk can't get hacked. OK, use two disks alternatively for extra protection"
How many of us have to keep repeating it?

Metaphors... Hmmm, maybe the song, "Old Dogs and Children and Water Melon Wine"... though what it has to do with the subject I don't know.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

And to add to that, the external backups must be kept offline (ie: powered down and disconnected from the computer) to contamination.

Basically what I also said a dozen messages before - "An off-line backup disk can't get hacked. OK, use two disks alternatively for extra protection"
How many of us have to keep repeating it?...

Until if finally sinks into people's minds?

[RollyShed]

And to add to that, the external backups must be kept offline (ie: powered down and disconnected from the computer) to contamination.

Basically what I also said a dozen messages before - "An off-line backup disk can't get hacked. OK, use two disks alternatively for extra protection"
How many of us have to keep repeating it?...

Until if finally sinks into people's minds?

Is the OP the horse that won't drink water?

As for water, listen to the song "Stewball" and as a racehorse he, "only drank wine" ..... just to lighten up the subject.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

..As for water, listen to the song "Stewball" and as a racehorse he, "only drank wine" ..... just to lighten up the subject.

I loved Peter, Paul, and Mary's version of that song.

[Moem]

I loved Peter, Paul, and Mary's version of that song.

*Ahem*

I think this thread has run its course. OP, if you have specific questions, like 'How should I make backups?' it's probably worth making separate topics for them.