The Air Gap Backup

I wrote about the basics of backups here a while ago, but I wanted to put emphasis on a very simple step every dentist should be taking: the air gap backup. 

Years ago, dentists would use a removable hard drive or a tape drive to backup their office database. As data got spread out over multiple programs and computers, and the cloud came on the scene, dentists started to rely on cloud backups. Since 2019 however, ransomware has started to target cloud backups. Attackers got smart and were able to hit multiple practices in one attack. Take for example the over 400 offices hit in 2019 when a dental cloud backup service was attacked. 

There are large scale options that allow for a simplified air gap backup that is automated, and would protect against a ransomware attack, but those systems currently are in the price range of a new car. Instead, let's take it old school. Grab yourself some new removable hard drives (make sure they are new, a classic isn't acceptable here) and back up the basics. Download your practice management software, accounting, images etc, and put them on the removable hard drives you rotate out on a daily or weekly basis. The cost is a few hundred for good removable hard drives, and a bit of time for you to set up the backups and rotate them. Cheap compared to what you would pay if the worst was to happen. Just a word of warning, although this will keep you protected from ransomware, it isn't the most effective for hardware failure, theft or even basic malware. It's one part of a solution you need to adopt to secure your data, your most valuable asset. 

Find out more on May 18th 2022 on the Webinar Wednesday with the AACA, or contact us for more information. You can also read about other classic technology which is making its reappearance in 2022 in this blog.