Keepit at Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo: How to rapidly recover critical cloud data no matter what

Keepit and Baptist Health to present at Gartner on how next-level SaaS data protection revolutionizes healthcare compliance 

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK, Oct. 11, 2023 – Keepit, the market leader in cloud data protection and management, today announced that it will be presenting and exhibiting at the Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo™ 2023 conference taking place from October 16 to October 19 in Orlando, Florida.

At the Symposium, the Keepit team will be sharing the latest insights on how to mitigate the impact of ransomware attacks by ensuring fast and complete recovery for enterprises. Research shows that a strong backup and recovery strategy can mean the difference between organizations being able to ignore extortionists and having to succumb to paying ransom again and again.

And on Tuesday, October 17, Keepit’s Senior Director of Product and Microsoft MVP Paul Robichaux will co-present with Ryan Hooley, Senior Director of Enterprise Architecture at Baptist Health, in a session titled, “Keepit: From On-Prem to Cloud – How to Revolutionize Healthcare Compliance.”

Session attendees will learn how healthcare compliance affects backup and recovery requirements and get insights into the data security and sovereignty issues that must be addressed when migrating from on-prem to cloud. Additionally, attendees will learn how Baptist Health’s collaboration with Keepit’s cloud-native solution helped to ensure patient data protection while navigating this transition.

The Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo™ 2023 will be held at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. The conference provides an opportunity for information technology (IT) and cybersecurity executives to explore the technology, insights, and trends shaping the future of IT and business while getting expert guidance on best practices to define and validate IT strategies. Attendees will gain real-world insights of how to execute on key initiatives. Topics covered will include accelerating business transformation, cybersecurity, customer experience, data analytics, executive leadership, and the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on every industry and job role.

WHAT: Speaker session: “Keepit: From On-Prem to Cloud – How to Revolutionize Healthcare Compliance”

WHO: Keepit’s Senior Director of Product and Microsoft MVP Paul Robichaux and Ryan Hooley, senior director of Enterprise Architecture at Baptist Health

WHERE: Swan Ballroom 4

WHEN: Tuesday 17, 3:45pm EST

REGISTRATION: https://www.gartner.com/en/conferences/na/symposium-us/register

Keepit will be exhibiting for the duration of the conference at booth #349.

To arrange a product demonstration or meeting with a member of the Keepit team at the conference, book a meeting here.

 

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Keepit
At Keepit, we believe in a digital future where all software is delivered as a service. Keepit’s mission is to protect data in the cloud Keepit is a software company specializing in Cloud-to-Cloud data backup and recovery. Deriving from +20 year experience in building best-in-class data protection and hosting services, Keepit is pioneering the way to secure and protect cloud data at scale.

How the next ransomware attack will hurt you: The numbers are in

75% of organizations have been victims of at least one successful ransomware attack in the past year, disrupting them operationally and financially.  

These attacks have become a constant battle between ever more sophisticated attackers and the IT and cybersecurity professionals tasked with keeping them at bay. 

In fact, a new survey (co-sponsored by Keepit) tells us that 65% of those IT and cybersecurity professionals name ransomware among the top 3 threats to their organization’s viability, and 13% of those even name it the biggest threat. 

If you are responsible for protecting your organization’s data, are you prepared for the next ransomware attack? If you are concerned about gaps in your strategy, you’re not alone. Many feel their organizations do not have the proper preparation in place to handle the increase in frequency and impact of attacks. So read on, learn where attacks are being targeted, and how to increase your level of preparedness. 

The statistics are fresh and based on a new Enterprise Strategy Group survey of 600 European and North American IT and cybersecurity professionals personally involved with protecting against and recovering from ransomware attacks. 

Get all the latest numbers on ransomware attacks in the full report. Download it for free.

What ransomware attackers go after

We have reliable data both on which parts of your IT environment are at risk, and which data classes the attackers are most likely to go after. So, let’s take them each in turn.

The parts of your IT environment most at risk

Attackers can enter your network at many different points, placing a significant burden on IT departments. But with this data, you will have a better idea of where to strengthen your defenses.  

 
The element most affected by ransomware attacks – indicated by 38% of survey respondents whose organization experienced a successful ransomware attack – is their key IT infrastructure. Anyone who controls even a small part of your IT infrastructure has tremendous power over you. They no longer even need to kidnap your files. For example, if they can disrupt, or gain control over, your Active Directory, they can shut your operations down for all practical purposes. 

For obvious reasons, your storage systems are also an attractive destination for attackers. Whether on-prem or in the cloud, there is a lot of gold in your data assets.  

But the survey respondents tell us that there are also plenty of other targets under assault in their IT environments. These include networks and connectivity, cloud-based data, IoT operations infrastructure, and last but not least data protection infrastructure.

   

Especially the last one deserves a special mention. Ransomware attacks are increasingly targeting backup copies of data – something that 74% of survey respondents were concerned about.  

This is why at Keepit we have gone to great lengths to create backup solutions that eliminate this very risk to the data protection infrastructure by insulating your backup in our independent cloud. With our true third-party protection, your data is stored in separate, isolated, immutable storage that is physically and logically separated from the rest of your IT environment. So the risk of attackers being able to reach your backups is greatly reduced.  

While the industry is slowly realizing the importance of such “air-gapped” and immutable solutions, this is not common practice within the backup solutions industry just yet. 

The data classes most at risk

The data class most targeted by the attackers—cited by 58% of the respondents whose organization had experienced a successful ransomware attack —is the one that you are required by law to protect: regulated data. This hurts in any way you can imagine, both for you and those that entrust you with their data. 

 
But a close second is sensitive infrastructure configuration data. Affecting the infrastructure at its core is a very effective way for attackers because it makes it easier for them to steal or damage data and to evade detection.  

In essence, this is how many attackers first gain entry. Once inside, they “climb the ladder” to compromise an account with admin privileges. And then, they can start breaking things such as configuration settings and access rules, and start stealing.  

We recently saw a brazen example of just such an attack. In this case, attackers caused major disruptions and financial losses by compromising both on-prem and cloud-based systems. The attacker: 

  1. Entered the target network by compromising an on-premises account 
  2. Leveraged that account to compromise the on-prem Active Directory 
  3. Used that access to pivot to and compromise Azure AD 

 
All of the target’s Azure storage and compute resources were deleted. If you don’t have a backup of your Azure AD data, building your settings and access control up from the ground again will be difficult and time-consuming, leaving you vulnerable to further attacks in the interim. 

Other data classes the survey respondents indicated are usually targeted are intellectual property data and mission-critical data. Any attack on mission-critical data is frustrating and costly as companies struggle to restore data and operations. But temporary or permanent loss of sensitive intellectual property information is not only hurtful in the short-term until operations are resumed, but can be enormously damaging in the long-term. 

All these four types of data are highly desired by the attackers. You can see exactly how much, and a lot more, in the report itself.

As you can see, your IT infrastructure has a major bullseye on its back that bad actors constantly try to hit. Unfortunately, sometimes they will succeed. So, you had better have the right plan in place to deal with the consequences when it happens. 

How the ransomware attacks hurt

 

When asked in the survey how all those successful ransomware attacks have impacted the respondents’ businesses, the two standout examples were data loss and data exposure.


But the list of painful effects is long. Some worth mentioning are operational disruptions, direct impact on employees, customers and partners (such as access to personally identifiable information), and financial, compliance and reputational damage. 

If you want to know in more detail what pains to expect and prepare for, I recommend that you look through the the official report.

Storytime: Scary ransomware stories from the real world

 

Now that you know what the attackers are after, where they hit you and what the main effects will be, let’s get a bit more tangible and look at some recent examples of successful attacks. 

Ransomware attackers sure are creative, so you need to be able to anticipate their moves. And for that, it is useful to follow the related news and learn what has worked (for the attackers) in the past.

 

Here is some recommended reading to bring yourself up to date:

  • An attack on one of Toyota’s key suppliers disrupted their production. During the shutdown, Toyota lost a third of its global output and suffered a significant financial loss. Read the story here. 
  • Third-party, unauthorized access was made at Bridgestone Americas, prompting a shutdown of the computer network and production at its factories in North and Middle for about one week. Read the story here.
  • A ransomware attack hit agricultural equipment manufacturer AGCO, causing it to shut down manufacturing facilities. It took 17 days to return to full operation. Read the story here.

What to make of all this

Attacks will happen, and some of them will succeed—you can’t stop them all. But with the right preparation, you can take a lot of the power out of the attackers’ hands by being able to immediately restore the data you’ve lost and clean up after the attack. So it’s all about resilience and management.  

 
Arm yourself with the right insight. The above information is a great start – you now know which data classes and elements of your IT environment to prioritize — but it only scratches the surface. Download the full report to get the full picture.

Prevention will only take you so far, so move beyond a simple defensive strategy. How much downtime and data loss can your business really afford? Ensure you can handle the disruption and keep your business operational through the storm. To help mitigate the operational disruptions and avoid the data loss that is so common-place today, you need to invest in a solid plan to protect your business-critical data. 

Now is the time to secure your data and improve your resilience levels – before the next ransomware attack hits you.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Keepit
At Keepit, we believe in a digital future where all software is delivered as a service. Keepit’s mission is to protect data in the cloud Keepit is a software company specializing in Cloud-to-Cloud data backup and recovery. Deriving from +20 year experience in building best-in-class data protection and hosting services, Keepit is pioneering the way to secure and protect cloud data at scale.

Porsche Holding Salzburg Selects Keepit for Ransomware Protection

Copenhagen, Denmark  – November 09, 2022 – Keepit, the market leader in cloud backup and recovery, today announced that it has been selected by Porsche Holding Salzburg to provide the company with its industry-leading SaaS data backup solution designed to guard against growing ransomware threats. Keepit is the world’s only independent, vendor-neutral cloud dedicated to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) data protection with a blockchain-verified solution.“We are pleased that our data centers meet Porsche Holding Salzburg’s stringent data storage requirements, and to be the company’s provider for cloud data backup and recovery,” said Frederik Schouboe, Keepit CEO.
Keepit is uniquely positioned in the SaaS data protection market, and we are proud to support Porsche Holding Salzburg as it seeks to defend against the increasing ransomware threats.

Frederik Schouboe Keepit CEO

“More and more companies are being affected by ransomware globally. We were searching for a SaaS solution, and we didn’t want to back up all the data on-premise. By working with Keepit, we now have a solution if a ransomware event ever impacts Porsche Holding,” said Andreas Fackler, system engineer at Porsche Informatik, a subsidiary of Porsche Holding Salzburg. “After researching the SaaS data backup solutions available, Keepit’s user-friendly, transparent backup and recovery process was the most appealing option. Keepit’s per user pricing model makes it simple and cost-effective to manage accounts, and its simple, easy-to-use cloud backup delivered what we were looking for.”Keepit follows the 3-2-1 principle of backup, where 2 copies of data are stored at separate locations, and one copy is backed up in an off-site, private cloud. This principle ensures that each customer’s data can survive any calamity, making it impenetrable to ransomware and accidental deletion. 

Porsche Holding Salzburg is the largest and most successful automotive distributor in Europe. The Salzburg-based company was founded in 1947 and operates today in 22 countries throughout Europe, as well as in Colombia, Chile, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan. After migrating from a locally installed, on-premise mail system to the cloud, Porsche Holding sought a scalable, SaaS cloud backup solution that would secure its 30,000 user accounts and safeguard against data loss.

“Keepit’s European-based data centers were a key consideration during Porsche Holding’s research and selection process as we sought a cloud backup and recovery solution,” said Michael Bojko, system engineer at Porsche Informatik.

Additionally, we felt perfectly supported during our quick, one-week onboarding process. We have also been very satisfied with the continuing customer service, as we always get an answer when we have questions. The Keepit team is trustworthy and friendly, and working with them has been a pleasure.

Michael Bojko System engineer at Porsche Informatik

As a software company specializing in cloud data backup and recovery for SaaS, Keepit has more than 20 years of experience in building best-in-class data protection services at scale. Founded in 2007 by data hosting entrepreneurs Frederik Schouboe and Morten Felsvang, Keepit’s primary mission is simple: to help companies around the world protect and manage their cloud-based data.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Keepit
At Keepit, we believe in a digital future where all software is delivered as a service. Keepit’s mission is to protect data in the cloud Keepit is a software company specializing in Cloud-to-Cloud data backup and recovery. Deriving from +20 year experience in building best-in-class data protection and hosting services, Keepit is pioneering the way to secure and protect cloud data at scale.

Azure Active Directory renamed Microsoft Entra ID

What this Azure AD name change means and 6 reasons for backup

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, we often witness transformations that impact the apps and services we rely on daily. One such transformation is happening today: Microsoft has just announced that Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is now named Microsoft Entra ID.

While the name may be different, there are no changes to the actual product; Entra ID continues to be Microsoft’s identity and access management service that enables your employees access to external resources, such as Microsoft 365, the Azure portal, and thousands of other SaaS applications. The essence and value that Entra ID provides remains unchanged. Regardless of the name, it still needs to be backed up. 

With the introduction of cloud computing, the edge of a network no longer exists, and the latest hacking techniques rely on compromising identity first. As a prime target for hackers, Azure AD — now Entra ID — sees 50 million password attacks per day, which amounted to attacks on almost 10% of the 550 million Entra ID users in 2022. According to Microsoft’s VP of Identity Security, Alex Weinert, Entra ID accounts are also 50 times more likely to be compromised than consumer Microsoft accounts.

What is Entra ID? And what’s the relationship between Entra ID and Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 uses Entra ID to manage user identities behind the scenes. Simply put, Entra ID is the brain to the Microsoft 365 body. It’s the control plane that allows access, gives orders, and makes sure Microsoft 365 runs well via policies and configurations.

Loss of access to Entra ID can result from a variety of mishaps, such as bad actors hacking your Entra ID and locking you out or an authorized user deleting a policy or admin accounts. If users can’t access their identities because their identities can’t get authorized in Entra ID, they’re not able to use their Microsoft 365 applications. If users can’t access anything, they can’t work, which grinds operations to a halt while the issue is addressed.

Do I need to back up Entra ID?

According to Microsoft, protecting identity systems such as Entra ID is the number one priority for any business — more important than protecting human life — as it ensures you and your users can maintain access to critical applications and systems.

Whether you’re an admin at a major company or launching a startup, protecting user identities is crucial to ensure business continuity. If anything messes up your Entra ID tenant configurations, you could lose access to important data and apps instantly.
Whether you’re an admin at a major company or launching a startup, protecting user identities is crucial to ensure business continuity. If anything messes up your Entra ID tenant configurations, you could lose access to important data and apps instantly.

What are the potential impacts of losing access to Entra ID

Recently, a company got locked out of all their Microsoft services due to faulty conditional access policies in Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). As a result, the admins were unable to log in to Microsoft and the unavailability of Microsoft portals prevented the company from registering a support ticket to report and resolve the issue. One can only imagine how long it took to resolve and get back to normal operation.

Here’s another example of the importance of Entra ID: A Carlsbad company suffered losses of more than $500,000, endured three full days of downtime, and invested six months in rebuilding after a disgruntled former employee deleted more than 1200 of the company’s Microsoft 365 user accounts.

In April 2023, Microsoft detected attacks on hybrid AD environments too. In this example, a “nation-state attacker” entered a network, compromised on-prem AD, used that access to pivot to and compromise Azure AD (now Entra ID), and then deleted all of the target’s Azure resources. Currently, the threat primarily originates from nation states, but in the future, it could shift to criminal organizations and eventually to low-end script kiddies.

That’s why it’s important to have a backup plan ready just in case things go haywire.

What can and can’t be recovered in the Entra ID recycle bin?

When we talk about the native recovery in Entra ID, it’s important to note that not all objects go through the Entra ID recycle bin when they are deleted.

Some objects are “soft deleted” and get put into the recycle bin. They include:

  • Microsoft 365 groups
  • App registrations
  • User and guest accounts

Here’s something important to know: When these cloud objects are soft deleted, they stay in the recycle bin for 30 days, but after that, they are ‘hard deleted” and vanish forever as they are permanently and irreversibly deleted. No chance of getting them back.

For all the other objects, they undergo immediate ‘hard deletion,’ indicating that they bypass the recycle bin and can’t be recovered natively. Microsoft shares that “hard-deleted items must be re-created and reconfigured. It is best to avoid unwanted hard deletions.” In other words, to maintain efficiency and business continuity, it’s advisable to steer clear of any unintended hard deletions if you don’t have a backup. Immediately hard-deleted objects include:

  • Distribution groups
  • Enterprise applications / Service principals
  • Intune device policies
  • Conditional access policies
  • BitLocker recovery keys
  • Security groups

Keep in mind that many Entra ID objects have intricate setups or unique connections with other systems, and unfortunately, the recycle bin doesn’t capture all those details. This means if you accidentally delete or alter those objects, there’s no way to recover them.

Oh, and don’t forget, the recycle bin is only for deleted objects — it can’t bring back an object to its previous state if you’ve made changes to it. Yikes. That means any change overwrites the object.

What are the risks of not backing up Entra ID?

While it’s open to debate whether backing up Entra ID is universally applicable to every organization and situation, it’s a wise approach for most enterprises. We’ve collected a couple of compelling reasons why backing up Entra ID can benefit your organization:

1. Loss of security / configuration policies
Entra ID allows administrators to define and enforce various configurations, policies, and access controls. Not having a backup means the loss of these settings, which can result in inconsistencies, misconfigurations, and unauthorized access. It takes significant time and effort to recreate and reapply these configurations manually, leaving the environment exposed to potential security risks.

With a backup of Entra ID, organizations have more control over the restoration process as they can easily recover permanently deleted cloud objects like device configurations, security policies, and access controls in a fast and efficient way.

2. Limited recovery options
Entra ID provides native features for data recovery, such as recycle bin and soft delete options. However, these options have limitations, such as time-bound retention and the inability to restore specific attributes or configurations.

A proper backup of Entra ID ensures more comprehensive recovery options and greater control over the restoration process.

3. Failure to meet compliance requirements
Organizations are often subject to various regulatory requirements, such as GDPR or industry-specific regulations. Failure to have a backup of Entra ID can lead to non-compliance with data protection and privacy regulations, resulting in potential legal issues, financial penalties, and reputational damage.

A backup of Entra ID ensures continuous chain of custody and provenance of security policies. This allows organizations to prove to regulators exactly which policies were in place at any time and document changes and deviations, if any.

4. Data loss
Entra ID stores security policies, application settings, and other cloud-only configurations. If this data is lost due to accidental deletion, malicious activity, or system failure, it can lead to severe consequences, including user access issues, operational disruptions, and compliance violations.

If you have a backup before the incident, you can use it to easily recover your lost data and bring it back into your Entra ID environment right away.

5. User productivity impact
Without a backup, recovering security and device policies can be a difficult and time-consuming task. This process may restrict activity or even prevent users from logging in to apps.

Restoring security policies and configurations manually can result in significant downtime and decreased productivity for users who are unable to access the resources they need.

6. Microsoft system outages
If Entra ID experiences a prolonged outage or catastrophic failure, organizations without a backup will have limited options for recovery, leading to extended periods of system unavailability and business disruption.

No backup can prevent Microsoft from having a system outage: That’s simply a risk all organizations face. However, if you have a backup, you can use it to recover your data once the service outage is resolved.

Evaluate your need for Entra ID backup

If you’re uncertain about the need to back up Entra ID for your organization, a helpful approach is to consider the potential risks associated with Entra ID data loss. Evaluate your comfort level with the level of risk involved to determine the best course of action.

We’ve created an Entra ID risk assessment sheet to help you gauge your exposure and risk tolerance. Use the assessment to determine your Entra ID backup requirements and the need for backup.

Download and create your own Entra ID security risk assessment here.

Ready to learn more about the Keepit solution? Request a callback from a member of the Keepit team. 

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Keepit
At Keepit, we believe in a digital future where all software is delivered as a service. Keepit’s mission is to protect data in the cloud Keepit is a software company specializing in Cloud-to-Cloud data backup and recovery. Deriving from +20 year experience in building best-in-class data protection and hosting services, Keepit is pioneering the way to secure and protect cloud data at scale.

Is a scarcity of security experts a growing global data risk?

And what you can do to protect your critical SaaS data  

Cybersecurity is a critical concern for all organizations. The rapid growth of technology and the increasing sophistication of cyberthreats have made it essential to have experts in the field of cybersecurity to protect against the potential risks. Add on to this the ever-expanding compliance demands from legislation such as the NIS2 Directive and CCPA, it becomes even more challenging to navigate.

The demand for cybersecurity and IT job roles is increasing at a pace that outstrips companies’ ability to recruit. Given that cybersecurity is a vital aspect of any enterprise that handles sensitive and confidential data, it is crucial to locate and retain specialized talent in this field, but how big is the problem?

A recent report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) has highlighted a significant shortage of security experts worldwide. They believe this shortage contributes to a growing list of global risks, including cyberattacks, data breaches, and other forms of cybercrime.

The Importance of Data Protection and Management

 

With the rise in cybersecurity threats, it is essential for businesses to prioritize data protection and management. This includes securing data, preventing data loss, and complying with regulations and standards. Data protection and management solutions also help businesses maintain their reputation and customer trust, as well as improve their operational efficiency.

According to WEF, the rapid pace of technological change has made it challenging for security experts to keep up with the latest developments, leading to this shortage of experienced professionals. WEF shares that this shortage of security experts is a major concern for organizations as it makes them vulnerable to a range of cyber threats. Cyber criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and organizations need to be equipped with the necessary tools and expertise to protect themselves.

What is the cybercrime situation now?

The number of incidences and the costs associated with cybercrime are on a steep rise – WEF projects $10.5 trillion by 2025. Cybercrime is big business: The Conti ransomware group, according to Reuters, has targeted over 1,000 victims, garnering more than $150 million in the process. Their prolific success led to the U.S. offering a $15 million reward for information.

Cybergangs are organized and functioning like legitimate companies – the Wired’s article “The Workaday life of the World’s Most Dangerous Ransomware Gang” tells how the Conti ransomware gang has a CEO and even an HR department. These groups sure aren’t matching the image of the hacker in a mask, in a dark room, working on a laptop computer: They’re sophisticated, skilled, and clearly very successful by these dollar figures above.

In the face of this, companies are scrambling to protect themselves and their data, with more and more businesses understanding the risks and therefore are placing data security high on their agenda (and bolstering their security with bigger budgets). And they had better hurry: The threat environment is likely to only get worse. The World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risks Report 2023 explores some of the most serious risks coming over the next two and 10 years.

 

What’s the expected global risk from cybercrime and cyber insecurity?

Of the global risks expected to have the greatest impact over the next two and the next 10 years, “widespread cybercrime and cyber insecurity” comes in at number eight for both timespans.

In the second visual, “cybercrime and cyber insecurity” moves all the way up to the fourth position for businesses, highlighting the heightened importance of data protection and security to companies. It’s worth mentioning that in all of these, it’s the only result within the Technological category, and perhaps the one with the most agency: Companies taking action and intervening with a data protection plan can mitigate their exposure. (More on this below.)

Increased State Intervention: Is data backup now akin to compulsory auto insurance? 

Compliance becomes an ever increasingly important part of data protection. The trend already appears to be solidified with the European Parliament recently putting forth legislation via the NIS2 Directive which adds on increased responsibility, heightened fines toward the company and C-suite of which the latter may be subject to suspensions for failures to comply. Read blog post about the NIS2 Directive here.

“Risks from Cybersecurity Will Remain a Constant Concern”

And here we get to the crux of the issue: According to the WEF, “These problems are compounded by a scarcity of security experts.”: A challenging situation made more difficult. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, there’s a total of 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs.

How are companies expected to combat the increasing risk from cybercrimes and the increased demands from state and government while at the same time there are reports of an all-too-small pool of security candidates to hire from? One SaaS data protection provider effectively addresses these concerns by providing a service that follows data protection best practices.

How Keepit can help businesses compensate for the shortage of security experts

Keepit is a software-as-a-service company that provides dedicated data protection for companies relying on cloud SaaS data. By increasing cybersecurity and resiliency and increasing the impact of a company’s existing workforce (all with an impressive ROI: Read the blog post here), Keepit supports business growth into the future by ensuring compliance and data protection. TechTarget suggests enterprises should “support [their] existing talent” as a means of addressing the cybersecurity skills gap, specifically to “automate routine tasks.”

Keepit provides an intuitive interface and simplified processes, an easy-to-use data protection solution that can enable personnel with less cybersecurity expertise to manage and maintain the system effectively. This can save companies the cost and time of hiring and training specialized cybersecurity experts while increasing cybersecurity posture.

We have been able to split the responsibilities for data protection among different teams. This setup allows teams to work efficiently and independently.

Michael Bojko, System Engineer at Porsche Informatik

By providing an easy-to-use cloud SaaS data backup and data management solution across a suite of SaaS applications including Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Google Workspace (to name but a few), Keepit enables companies to continue into the future with confidence. Businesses can even get Azure AD data protection for free with the Identity Basic offering from Keepit. Read about backup and recovery for Azure Active Directory here.

Compensate for the shortage of security experts by having an automated data protection and management system in place. This reduces the need for manual intervention, which can be time-consuming and requires specialized skills.

Our everyday is busy enough with keeping everything up and running. Keepit’s solution does its job in the background so that we can focus on other tasks.

Ken Schirrmacher, Sr. Director of IT/Interim CIO at Park ‘N Fly

Where should you start? Learn more about data management and protection

Keepit enables companies to have peace of mind, regardless of any new legislation or cybercrime events.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Keepit
At Keepit, we believe in a digital future where all software is delivered as a service. Keepit’s mission is to protect data in the cloud Keepit is a software company specializing in Cloud-to-Cloud data backup and recovery. Deriving from +20 year experience in building best-in-class data protection and hosting services, Keepit is pioneering the way to secure and protect cloud data at scale.