Back up your systems securely
System Rescue
Creating backups is one thing, making sure they’re secure is another. We offer some tips for ensuring the process is as painless as possible.
Making backups of your data is critical. If you don’t regularly create usable backups, any outages, disk failures, or administrative errors can cause permanent data loss. But, although backups address the availability (and to some degree integrity) aspects of the AIC security triad (availability, integrity, confidentiality), they can introduce significant risks with respect to the confidentiality or secrecy of your data. In other words, when you centralize all your data on removable storage (e.g., tape drives), things can get very bad very quickly if the tapes are misplaced or stolen.
Encrypted Backups
The solution, of course, is to encrypt your backups. Depending on the risk you’re willing to accept, strong encryption can even let you store your files in potentially insecure locations (e.g., a public cloud storage provider). In general, most backup programs support 256-bit AES, which is extremely strong, so with properly generated keys that are secured from attackers, your data should be safe from decryption for at least a few decades. However, you must consider several other issues when deciding how to apply encryption to your backups and how to manage your encryption keys.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.