How Acronis Stopped $104 Million in Ransomware Damages

In announcing the release of the 15^th Anniversary Edition of Acronis True Image 2019, the company revealed that its artificial intelligence-based anti-ransomware technology – which is integrated into all of its backup solutions – stopped more than 200,000 ransomware attacks on 150,000 customers last year. Based on the fact current attacks demand an average of $522 in ransom, the technology prevented more than $104 million in damages.

The successful merging of backup software with an integrated anti-ransomware shield is the latest example of how Acronis constantly redefines what modern data protection is. That leadership is why Acronis’ technology is relied on by users of all types – including top sports organizations like Arsenal Football Club and Williams Martini Formula 1 Racing.

When you’ve been doing something really well for 15 years, you tend to learn a thing or two. With the recent release of Acronis True Image 2019, the latest version of the award-winning personal backup solution, home users, and small business owners find the complete solution that exceeds their expectations.

That’s because the 15^th Anniversary Edition of Acronis True Image goes beyond traditional data protection to address all the modern threats facing users today. The result is a new level of cyber protection that is easy-to-use, efficient, and secure.

Why traditional backup is not enough

Today we rely on a lot more data and more devices than we ever have before. That means more data in more places, and protecting those distributed files, apps, and systems can be a challenge for the average person. 

And while most people would rather use their devices and data instead of worrying about protecting them, data threats continue to evolve. Increasingly, cybercriminals are targeting backup files since they can help users restore their system after a ransomware attack without having to pay the ransom. As the new target of choice, backups no longer offer a sufficient defense. 

In response, Acronis True Image 2019 delivers total cyber protection, combining proven backup technology with cutting-edge security features like its unique artificial intelligence-based anti-ransomware defense, which blocked more than 200,000 attacks last year.

That kind of forward-thinking has been a cornerstone of Acronis’ 15-year history. 

Innovation in personal data protection

Acronis has been pushing the boundaries of backups since 2003 when it was founded in Singapore. As the first company to offer home users real-time disk imaging, it then expanded its coverage to mobile and NAS devices. It’s still the only personal backup software that ensures the integrity of data using blockchain authentication and uses AI to defeat the growing threat of ransomware.

Today, Acronis True Image 2019 is the only personal backup solution that allows users to make full image backups to both local and cloud storage or lets users clone active system disks on either Windows or Mac machines.

The enhancements included in the newly released edition build on that commitment to protecting data.

Easy backup

Acronis added the ability to create an all-in-one recovery tool on an external hard drive, which makes restoring a system as easy as plugging in the external drive. Called the Acronis Survival Kit, it is as comprehensive and flexible in an emergency as a Swiss Army Knife – containing everything needed to restore a system from boot media to the system partition to all backups.

New event-based scheduling options, such as automatically backing up when an external USB drive is attached, makes it easier to create backups. For a personal backup solution that already offers tremendous customization, the new trigger-based options provide even more flexibility to users.

While Acronis True Image is known for its ability to let users recover their system to the same or dissimilar hardware, improved WinPE media makes the power of Universal Restore even greater. The new WinPE builder streamlines media creation by detecting network adapters and configuring network settings so a user can recover their system through an Ethernet connection as well as a Wi-Fi network.

Efficient operations

The new Backup Cleanup utility enables users to retain control over their data. It allows users to free up disk space by manually selecting unnecessary versions of backups and deleting unneeded files – so they can keep what’s needed and wipe what’s not.

Some of the enhancements in the 2019 release relate to improving performance rather than adding capabilities. A new file-to-cloud format, for example, increases the reliability and performance of cloud backups for both Windows and Mac, while adjustments to the program’s interface are designed to make the user experience even more intuitive.

Acronis True Image 2019 also uses the native API of the newly released Parallels Desktop 14 to back up virtual machines, which means recovery is streamlined completely. Now VMs can be recovered as a set of files that can be booted in a Parallels Desktop environment.

Secure data and devices

Acronis True Image 2019 also expands the coverage of its award-winning ransomware defense. In addition to protecting the data, files, and systems on the local PC or Mac, the updated Acronis Active Protection technology now protects data on network shares and NAS, addressing the increased reliance of these devices in home networks.

Happy Anniversary, Acronis

After 15 years of leading innovation in the backup industry, the Anniversary Edition of Acronis True Image brings all of that expertise to the table. With the new enhancements, Acronis delivers the world’s easiest to use, most efficient, and most secure personal backup available.

Edited by: Andrew Leniart