Air gapping is the process of isolating a network or a computer to prevent it from connecting to external networks. In most cases, air gapping is done to protect data from being accessed, destroyed, or manipulated in the event of a system failure or a network intrusion.
Since air-gapping backups isolate business data from online access, it becomes extremely difficult to access sensitive data that could be potentially used against your business. Air gap backups can also be used to retrieve important information in case of a disaster such as flood or fire.
Read on to learn more about air gapping and why it’s important for your business.
Types of Air Gaps
There are three main types of air gaps, as discussed below:
The Total Physical Air Gap
This is a type of air-gapped system where the hardware or software is completely isolated in a different location with no network connection. If anyone needs to input data or get data from it, they have to go to it physically. While this may sound like a hassle, safety and security are more easily achieved.
Isolated Air-gapped Systems
Unlike total air-gapped systems, isolated air-gapped systems are located in the same environment as other systems, but they’re not connected to the same network. This means you could have two servers in the same room, but they’re plugged into different networks.
Logical Air Gaps
Logical air gaps are systems that are within the same network but have been separated logically using hashing, encryption, or role-based access controls. This means that even if someone can access the system, they cannot open or modify it unless they’re authorized to do so.
What Are the Main Principles Behind Air-Gapped Networks?
- Physical isolation: To reduce the risk of unauthorized access, air-gapped networks should be separated physically from other networks. To achieve physical isolation, you can set up your network in a separate location or in a secure facility or limit physical access to the systems.
- Restricted connectivity: Only authorized individuals can access air-gapped networks. This makes it harder for malicious individuals to access and compromise the network.
- Unidirectional data flow: Unidirectional data flow basically means that data can only flow from a trusted network to the air-gapped system. This prevents unauthorized communication to and from the isolated network.
Why Is it Important for Businesses to Have Air-gapped Networks?
Air-gapped networks have numerous benefits, including the following:
Enhanced Security
The main advantage of an air-gapped network is that it provides superior security. Since all important datasets are totally isolated from external networks, it’s extremely hard for attackers to gain access to the network and compromise sensitive information.
It Limits the Spread of Malware
Since unauthorized networks can’t connect directly to air-gapped systems, it’s hard for malware to spread from external sources to the protected network. This helps protect the system from infections and reduces the likelihood of data loss.
Protects Against Targeted Attacks
Air-gapping is a great way of protecting a network from targeted attacks where bad actors infiltrate a targeted network and steal information from the servers. The bad thing about targeted attacks is that they’re often discovered way later after huge chunks of sensitive information have already been stolen. This is why it’s important to protect your system from such threats.
It Safeguards Sensitive Information
One of the main principles of air-gapped networks is physical isolation, whereby sensitive data is kept in a physically isolated place with tight security. This security measure protects sensitive information by preventing unauthorized access to the network. That’s why it’s used in healthcare, defense, and finance industries, where most datasets need to be kept private and confidential.
Challenges of Air-Gapping
While air-gapping is considered the holy grail of cyber security, it also has many shortcomings, including:
- It’s quite costly to implement and maintain.
- It doesn’t provide 100% protection from attacks.
- Transferring data to and from an air-gapped network might require manual processes.
Protect Your Data At All Costs
The frequency and intensity of cyberattacks keep increasing each year. According to IT reports, 2024 saw a 28% increase in the number of cyberattacks per organization. This is why you should come up with a strong cybersecurity strategy to protect your business’s sensitive data.
One of the most effective ways of protecting your network from cyber threats is by air-gapping sensitive data. This prevents unauthorized access by hackers who might try to steal valuable information. While air gapping is an effective solution, you need to make sure that it’s implemented correctly to provide a strong layer of cyber security for your organization.
