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Why I Use Cold Backups Instead of Relying Only on Snapshots
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Most teams rely on snapshots or live backups to protect their Linux servers. They’re fast, convenient, and easy to schedule. But I’ve learned the hard way: snapshots alone aren’t enough.
That’s why I always keep cold backups — offline, disconnected copies that malware or attackers can’t touch.
🚨 The Problem With Snapshots Alone
- Ransomware Ready → If your hypervisor or cloud account is compromised, snapshots can be encrypted right along with production.
- Silent Corruption → Snapshots faithfully preserve corruption too . If the system is already compromised, your snapshot is a compromised clone.
- Same Trust Boundary → Snapshots live in the same environment as the system itself — if an attacker gets root or cloud admin, they own your backups too.
🛡️ Why Cold Backups Are Different
- Air-Gapped → Disconnected from the network after creation.
- Immutable → Copies can’t be altered without deliberate action.
- Recoverable → Even if production is destroyed, you can rebuild from the offline backup.
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