Backup Solutions
Ransomware Protection
ransomware protection for business data object storage
Fortify Ransomware Protection with Sovereign Business Data Object Storage
Ransomware attacks in Europe surged by over 80% in 2024, with projections for 2025 setting a new record. This guide details how sovereign, S3-compatible object storage provides a resilient defense for your business data, ensuring control and rapid recovery.
The topic briefly and concisely
With ransomware attacks in Europe surging over 80% in 2024, sovereign object storage with immutability is a critical defense layer for business data.
EU-based storage eliminates risks from foreign laws like the U.S. CLOUD Act, ensuring GDPR compliance and data sovereignty.
A predictable cost model with no egress or API fees allows businesses and MSPs to implement robust ransomware protection without financial surprises.
The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) describes the current IT security situation as alarming, with ransomware attacks targeting businesses of all sizes. A successful attack now costs German companies an average of 1.2 million euros to recover, disrupting operations for weeks. Traditional storage solutions often fail to provide adequate protection against these sophisticated threats, exposing businesses to significant financial and reputational risk. Effective ransomware protection for business data object storage requires a modern approach grounded in digital sovereignty, immutability, and predictable economics. This article outlines a strategy using EU-based object storage to secure your data, ensure compliance, and guarantee a swift recovery path.
Assess the Escalating Ransomware Threat in Europe
The threat landscape in 2025 is more dangerous than ever, with ransomware incidents across Europe projected to surpass 1,746 by year-end. In Germany, 6 out of 10 companies were targeted by ransomware in the last 12 months, highlighting the widespread nature of this threat. The core challenge is that attackers now exfiltrate data before encryption, doubling down on extortion tactics. This shift makes paying the ransom a poor strategy, as nearly 80% of German firms that paid were attacked a second time. A robust ransomware defense strategy must therefore focus on making recovery so reliable that paying is never the only option. This new reality demands a storage architecture built for resilience from the ground up.
Establish Digital Sovereignty to Mitigate Data Exposure
Storing data with non-EU providers creates significant legal risks, primarily due to the U.S. CLOUD Act. This law allows U.S. authorities to demand access to data controlled by U.S. companies, regardless of where it is stored, creating a direct conflict with GDPR. A 2025 study found that 84% of European organizations are now planning to use sovereign cloud solutions to regain control. Choosing a 100% European provider eliminates this jurisdictional risk entirely. Geofenced storage within certified EU data centers ensures your data remains under EU law, simplifying compliance and protecting it from foreign government access. Explore our approach to disaster recovery.
Operate exclusively in certified European data centers to guarantee data residency.
Utilize country-level geofencing to meet specific regulatory requirements for sensitive workloads.
Avoid CLOUD Act exposure through strictly EU-centric data governance and ownership.
Align with GDPR by design, reducing the compliance burden on your legal teams by over 50%.
This foundation of sovereignty is the first step toward building a truly secure data protection framework.
Implement Immutable Backups as Your Last Defense
Immutability is the most effective weapon against ransomware encryption. With S3 Object Lock, you can make your backup data unchangeable and undeletable for a defined period. Even if attackers breach your primary systems, they cannot alter or encrypt your backups. This capability is critical, as 86% of German ransomware victims admitted to paying a ransom in the past year, often because their backups were also compromised. Immutable backups ensure you always have a clean copy of your data for recovery. This breaks the cycle of extortion and makes recovery a predictable, internal process that takes hours, not weeks. Learn more about our Veeam immutable backup storage. By making your backup data tamper-proof, you neutralize the primary threat of a ransomware attack.
Layer Security Controls for Comprehensive Protection
A multi-layered security model is essential for robust ransomware protection for business data object storage. Beyond immutability, granular access controls prevent unauthorized entry in the first place. Over 70% of successful attacks are initiated through compromised credentials, making identity management a critical defense layer. Our platform integrates several key security features to protect data at every level. See how we enable a secure S3 API backup solution.
Identity and Access Management (IAM): Implement granular, role-based access control (RBAC) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure only authorized personnel can access or manage data.
End-to-End Encryption: All data is protected with multi-layer encryption, both in transit and at rest, using EU-controlled key management.
Full S3 API Compatibility: Securely connect your existing backup tools and scripts without code rewrites, preserving your security investments with a 100% compatible API.
“Always-Hot” Access Model: All data is immediately accessible, eliminating risky restore delays from tiered storage that can increase downtime by up to 48 hours.
These integrated controls work together to create a formidable barrier against unauthorized access and data tampering.
Align with EU Regulations for a Competitive Advantage
Regulatory readiness is no longer just a compliance checkbox; it is a business differentiator. The NIS-2 Directive, for instance, mandates stringent supply-chain security, requiring you to verify the resilience of your cloud provider. A provider with baked-in compliance simplifies your own regulatory obligations significantly. Furthermore, the EU Data Act, fully applicable from September 2025, requires providers to remove switching barriers and ensure data portability. Our architecture is built on open standards with full S3 API compatibility, guaranteeing no vendor lock-in and a clear exit path. This commitment to data protection and portability future-proofs your storage strategy. Choosing a partner who is already aligned with these regulations reduces your risk and operational overhead.
Enable MSPs with Predictable and Resilient Backup Services
For Managed Service Providers, profitability depends on predictable margins. Our partner model is predictable by design, with zero egress fees, no API call costs, and no minimum storage durations. This transparent economic model allows MSPs to build defensible margins for Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) offerings. The platform is partner-ready, featuring a multi-tenant console with robust RBAC and MFA, API/CLI for automation, and clear reporting. With new distribution partners like Northamber plc in the UK, we are expanding local access for hundreds of resellers. This focus on the channel ensures our partners can deliver effective cloud backup solutions. This structure empowers MSPs to grow their business without worrying about surprise costs.
Execute a 3-Step Strategy for Enhanced Ransomware Protection
Additional useful links
Bitkom provides a study on corporate security (Wirtschaftsschutz).
Bitkom offers charts and data related to corporate security and cybercrime.
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) provides guidelines on personal data breach notification.
PwC features Digital Trust Insights, offering reports and surveys on cybersecurity trends.
Deloitte presents their Global Future of Cyber Survey, providing insights into the future of cybersecurity.
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive overview of ransomware.
FAQ
What makes Impossible Cloud a strong choice for ransomware protection?
Impossible Cloud provides strong ransomware protection through a combination of features. Our platform offers immutable storage via S3 Object Lock, is strictly EU-sovereign to avoid CLOUD Act exposure, and operates on an 'Always-Hot' architecture for fast restores. This is combined with a predictable pricing model with zero egress fees, making resilient data protection economically viable.
How does your pricing model help in a ransomware recovery scenario?
In a recovery scenario, you often need to retrieve large amounts of data quickly. Traditional providers charge high egress fees for this, which can cost thousands. Our model has zero egress fees and no API call charges, meaning you can restore your entire dataset without facing a massive, unexpected bill, making recovery fast and affordable.
Is your storage compatible with my existing backup software?
Yes. We offer full S3 API compatibility, ensuring out-of-the-box integration with leading backup software like Veeam, Rubrik, and others. You can connect your existing tools, scripts, and applications without any code rewrites, allowing for a seamless transition and protecting your current technology investments.
What does 'digital sovereignty' mean for my business data?
Digital sovereignty means your data is stored and managed exclusively under the laws of a specific jurisdiction—in our case, the European Union. By using our EU-only data centers, your data is protected by GDPR and shielded from foreign laws like the U.S. CLOUD Act, giving you full control and legal certainty.
How does Object Lock work to protect my backups?
S3 Object Lock is a feature that allows you to set a Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM) policy on your data. Once an object is 'locked' for a specified retention period (e.g., 30 days), it cannot be modified or deleted by anyone, including administrators, until that period expires. This makes your backups immune to ransomware encryption.
How can I get started with Impossible Cloud?
You can start by talking to one of our experts to discuss your specific use case or by starting a free trial to test the platform's performance and features for yourself. Our team can provide a seamless onboarding experience to help you migrate your first workloads.
