# Backup Internals: What is VSS, how does it work and why do we use it?

As happens sometimes, our more technically minded customers question a system that “just works”. We like these sort of customers, as they keep us on our toes. In this specific case, the question was [is it safe to continue using my computer during imaging](http://support.macrium.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4968&whichpage=1) and the answer is yes, although the longer explanation is much more involved. After the ensuing discussion, one of our community members suggested we write this information up as a FAQ entry somewhere and internally we felt it was worth preserving the information from that thread, so this blog post is an extended, polished version of our notes there.

### Reflect can take an image of a live system. How does this work?

![backup-internals-what-is-vss-how-does-it-work-and-why-do-we-use-it.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/backup_internals_what_is_vss_how_does_it_work_and_why_do_we_use_it_b601339115.jpg)

#### A simple disk write

Internally Macrium Reflect relies on a Microsoft Windows component called VSS, which stands for Volume Shadow Storage. Microsoft’s VSS operates by taking what is called a copy on write snapshot of your system. This allocates a small temporary storage space. Then, every time you write to a part of your disk, the information on the disk is first copied to the snapshot before allowing the write to take place.

![backup-internals-what-is-vss-how-does-it-work-and-why-do-we-use-it-2.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/backup_internals_what_is_vss_how_does_it_work_and_why_do_we_use_it_2_2b2e865126.jpg)

#### VSS in use

This technique makes VSS quite efficient. A snapshot only contains as much data as has changed since the snapshot started — you do not need an entire copy of your disk. Also, writes are only affected for used space — free space does not need to copy anything, as there is no original to preserve.

![backup-internals-what-is-vss-how-does-it-work-and-why-do-we-use-it-3.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/backup_internals_what_is_vss_how_does_it_work_and_why_do_we_use_it_3_d78810a2c9.jpg)

### Reading data

However there is another side to this advantage. The more writes made after the snapshot springs into existence, the more VSS must store. So if you perform an excessive amount of disk activity during imaging, the snapshot storage space may become large. VSS imposes a cap on this space, and should a snapshot attempt to exceed it, VSS will stop its copy on write behaviour and delete the temporary storage.

Once the snapshot is finished with, the space can be freed up again — so the temporary storage space is only needed during use.

### What determines where this storage space is?

There is no magic to this — VSS chooses sensible defaults based on your available drives. This configuration can of course be altered and Microsoft provide a tool for this called [VSSAdmin](http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc754968%28v=ws.10%29.aspx).

### Is the data taken at a point in time really consistent?

This is a difficult question to which there is no straightforward answer. As you may have realised already, if a copy is in progress when the snapshot starts, only the completed part of the copy will be included in the snapshot. The rest of it will count as new writes and the old, inconsistent blocks will be copied to the snapshot!

To understand how VSS gets around this we need to understand a little more about VSS architecture so I’ll introduce three terms:

*   **Provider**: in VSS land, a provider provides the VSS service and is responsible for all the co-ordination elements. Essentially this is the “core” of VSS. Microsoft include a VSS Provider with Windows, and Reflect uses this. (Technically speaking, there are two components, the co-ordinator and the provider, however, for simplicity we have combined these for the purposes of explaining VSS.)
*   **Requester**: a requester is, as you might expect from the name, an application that requests a snapshot to be made. This request goes to the provider.
*   **Writers**: these components provide a mechanism for applications to be alerted to the creation of a snapshot, so they can prepare their data for snapshotting. VSS providers can notify VSS writers that a snapshot has been created, and the VSS writer can then perform the appropriate action. Once the snapshot has been taken, the provider again notifies the writers, so they may let the applications resume.

VSS Writers are an important part of VSS for certain environments. Imagine you are running a heavily loaded database server in production, or a virtual machine cluster. The database server will have open and be manipulating its database files, processing transactions etc. while the VMs are continually performing disk operations for the virtualised OS. Taking a point-in-time snapshot might be fine but, due to the amount of IO, it is likely to catch one or more of these services off guard in an inconsistent state.

The role of writers is to inform these applications a snapshot is about to be created. The application can then perform any tidy up operations necessary to ensure what is on disk is consistent. The snapshot starts and the applications are then notified they can continue. Now the on disk state should be fine.

### When do I need to check my applications are VSS aware? I.e. when do I need VSS writers?

You need VSS writers for applications that perform large amounts of IO and depend heavily on the state of the files they are writing if you wish to back them up. Virtual machine disk images are a perfect candidate for this — the running image could easily become inconsistent.

Most applications do not write to disk in quantities of data large enough to be a problem. Many applications from Microsoft are also VSS aware, which helps greatly.

### What about current and previous snapshots?

VSS is smart enough to keep track of its temporary storage location, and will exclude anything in it, including the current temporary storage area and any persistent snapshots that have been previously created. So when the data is read by your backup software, you only get what you need.

### When is VSS in use and when is it not with regards to taking a backup?

Now a question you may not have thought of — when is VSS in use? Well, VSS solves the problem of imaging a live system neatly, so whenever you image your system with Reflect you are probably using VSS.

There is one exception to this — we have a fall-back mechanism for live versions of 32-bit Windows client operating systems up to Windows 7 (so XP, Vista and 7) called pssnap.sys. Reflect can use this on these systems if VSS is unavailable. pssnap provides the same copy-on-write technique as VSS, but with fewer extra features (pssnap.sys is not a VSS provider and is independent from VSS). Why have both systems? Well, VSS is a core component of Windows and available on every edition of Windows greater than XP SP2. We know it will be there as Microsoft are committed to this feature and it makes sense to use it as it is highly reliable. Before VSS we had no such mechanism so we built our own. It is equally as reliable but we felt the feature additions of VSS and the support for writers for enterprise scenarios really meant VSS made sense.

However in the rescue environment we do not use, or need to use, either pssnap.sys or VSS. Why? Because the system is not in use so the data should be perfectly consistent at all times. Of course we may well end up including persistent snapshots if they exist because without VSS they are not excluded.

### You keep saying VSS is a Windows feature, yet only Reflect uses it…

Actually, that’s not true. Windows itself uses VSS for system restore points! These system restore points are the persistent snapshots that might exist in your shadow storage.

That’s it. If you’d like to read about VSS directly from Microsoft, you can read their article on [TechNet](http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc785914(v=ws.10).aspx).

You can download a 30-Day Trial of Macrium Reflect [Home](/products/home), [Workstation](/products/business/standalone/workstation), [Server](/products/business/standalone/server), [Server Plus](/products/business/standalone/server-plus), or [Site Manager](/site-manager).

As happens sometimes, our more technically minded customers question a system

Backup Internals: What is VSS, how does it work and why do we use it?

A few years ago this thing called “Agile” started to be mentioned. At the time I was working on part of a large distributed communications system as part of a small team that had managed to eek out a way of working that involved genuine analysis, design and test driven development loosely encapsulated using the <a href="http://www-01.ibm.com/software/awdtools/rup/">Rational’s Unified Process</a> . It was almost like you read in the textbooks at university. At the time, although I didn’t know what Agile development was, I remember my colleague proudly announcing that we were very much on our way to being Agile, which given his enthusiasm, meant that there was something fundamentally right about the way we were working.Roll forward a couple of years, another job and Agile suddenly became the buzzword everyone wanted to be a part of. A new director from Sweden complete with an important sounding job title and very fashionable glasses gave an inspirational introduction speech advocating the brilliance of the Agile methodology and how it would turn around our company’s fortunes. A very nice trainer with a big hat and guitar was hired to mentor us and in due course, I was convinced that Agile was the way forward. It is was so simple. So elegant, So easy to follow. How could it possibly fail?I then joined the team at Macrium, full of enthusiasm for all things Agile. There was quite a bit of enthusiasm for working in an agile way so I set about setting up a sprint framework. There was already a backlog on which to work and given that we had an existing product, I was convinced that the “agile way” would allow us to easily add small nuggets of new functionality. I thought to myself “What could go wrong?”<figure><img alt="" src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure>Well the simple answer, is that nothing has really gone wrong, but to say that we work using the text book agile methodology would be a bit much. The problem for us is that there are too many external inputs that can not be controlled, specifically customer support. Since the developers deal with customer support (if you think this a bit odd, see our justification <a href="/blog/2012/09/customer-support-the-macrium-way/">here</a>) and you never know what sort of support load you are going to get during sprint planning, there is not a lot you can do if one of your developers ends up spending a couple of days each sprint working “off-sprint”. It may be the case that a customer encounters a bug which really just has to be fixed at which point any future development gets canned immediately until the bug has been sorted out. It is easy to say that the bug should be put on the backlog and prioritized at the next sprint planning meeting, but that could be almost 2 weeks away and here at Macrium we pride ourselves for the customer support we offer issuing regular updates and fixes. However, the demoralising aspect to all of these distractions is that by the end of the sprint there is usually a long list of things still in the “To be done” and “Doing” columns of our sprint board on <a href="http://www.trello.com/">Trello</a>.What do we do well and what could we do better? I think the bottom line of all this is that for us, the key is to take the Agile Method with a pinch of salt and pay more attention to being agile rather than doing Agile. We do wonder if reducing our 2 week sprints to a week might improve things but the argument against is that the bureaucracy of having a sprint planning meeting every week would eat into the development time available. There is no doubt that having a two week development cycle is a motivator and we try to get a patch out more or less every two weeks.We have a scrum meeting every morning which is hugely beneficial for the team to find out where we are all up to and share any immediate problems. A recent retrospective found that we focus too much on what has been done rather than what is to be done, so we plan to focus more on the end of the sprint hopefully motivating us to move all those “To do” cards into the “Done” column. We also need to be a little more realistic about the amount of work we plan for each sprint and take into account the support we will have to deal with and other external distractions.We do have retrospectives but not necessarily at the end of each sprint since the size and informality of our team is such that we don’t feel the need to wait to the end of a sprint to improve the way we work.Agile is a great methodology. I truly believe it can work well for self contained teams with a clear and well identified task in hand, but for small independent software companies where there is a more all-hands-on-deck approach to running the business, external influences mean that to be truly agile, you need to take Agile with a pinch of salt.11th March 2013 — Since this post was writtenWe have actually moved to a one week sprint with the emphasis being more on refocusing rather than replanning. Items are added to a “current sprint” board whenever they are required and developers are at liberty to work on individual tasks for as long as it takes to get them finished. This solves the demoralising “You did not finish your sprint task so it goes back onto the backlog” situation that haunts any poor developer who underestimated their workload for that sprint. We have also done away with hard deadlines and they also serve only to demoralise stressed developers who get into a knot half way through a task. We do aim to try and release every couple of weeks but again, this is not a hard deadline. The basis of development now is a weekly business oriented refocus on what is being done and what should be done followed by daily meetings to check everyone is making progress.

A few years ago this thing called “Agile” started to be mentioned. At the time

Why Agile Methodologies don’t quite work in small software businesses

Customer support is one of those odd things for a business. It is a direct cost to the business and doesn’t bring in revenue that directly impacts the bottom line, yet customers have high expectations that when something goes wrong, there is someone they can turn to to help them out. Companies that recognise the importance of helping and supporting their customers only stand to benefit.Without a doubt, customer support is something that is ingrained in the culture at Macrium. Every day, everyone at Macrium is responsible for engaging with our customers and answering queries and technical problems they have. In this blog I wish to share with you how we go about dealing with support and show how we offer what we hope is a unique and excellent experience for our customers.What we offer There are several ways that our customers can get help if they are having problems with Macrium Reflect. If it is simply a case of how to do something, then there are a selection of video tutorials on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/macrium">Youtube</a>. They do not have any sound, but this is something we are hoping to address in the future.There are also many HowTo style articles in our <a href="http://knowledgebase.macrium.com">knowledge bas</a>e as well as some more in-depth articles on error codes that may be encountered, the subtleties of how Reflect handles different types of hardware configurations and some of the more edge case scenarios that may be chanced upon. If you find the knowledge base search a little clunky you can always just use the search at the top right of the <a href="https://www.macrium.com">main website</a>.Customers who have bought Macrium Reflect have access to the <a href="https://forum.macrium.com">Macrium Forum</a>. The purpose of the forum is to give Macrium users the opportunity to help each other out as well as share and discuss ideas and concepts about backup and imaging. We regularly check the forum, answering questions and offering solutions to any unanswered posts as quickly as possible.If a customer is unable to get the solution to their problem from the outlets above, the last stop is to email support directly. We get all sorts of email requests from simple prospective sales questions to in depth technical issues. Regardless of its type, each case is careful reviewed, discussed and more significantly, answered by the software developers who wrote the software.How we deal with supportTechnical support is handled by the software developers who wrote the software. This guarantees that we can offer a qualified answer straight away. There is no triage system. There is no 1st, 2nd, 3rd or nth level support whose primary goal is to either pretend that the people dealing with the customers know what they are talking about when they don’t or delay the customer, hoping they will go away. At Macrium, you get straight through to the experts who can answer the question directly.<figure><img alt="" src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure>Macrium development team meet to discuss customer support casesEvery morning, the development team meet to discuss the support cases that has come in during the night. This gives us the opportunity to discuss specific cases in detail and propose the best solutions. It also allows us to share knowledge throughout the team. The support cases are then assigned to individual engineers who respond directly to the customer. From an engineer’s point of view it is nice to have contact with the people who actually use the software we are writing. Some support issues are also fed back into the product. They may have come about because of a bug in the software or suggest that a part of the product is not clear or easy to use. Since it is the developers dealing with the support issue, a fix can be incorporated back into the product straight away if necessary. Similarly, questions that crop up frequently can be addressed by writing a knowledge base article, improving the knowledge base for our customers and also allowing us to reply with a detailed response in a much more timely and consistent manner.Some have criticised us for not offering telephone support. On the face of it, this is a fair criticism, but have you ever received good or excellent service from a telephone support line that doesn’t come with a premium price tag? Being put on hold, transferred to another person or department and being fobbed off with scripted answers that doesn’t answer the question are all common place on telephone support lines. This is not the Macrium Way and we feel that by having the time to consider each problem as it arrives by email allows us to provide an answer that is both personal and technically excellent. This is the least we feel our customers deserve.Without customers, Macrium would not exist and it is our goal to ensure that any customer who encounters a problem with Reflect is answered with a solution as quickly as possible.

Customer support is one of those odd things for a business. It is a direct cost

Customer support the Macrium Way

One of the long standing requests for Macrium Reflect is the ability to be able to image any system, regardless of whether Reflect is installed. Our Technician’s License offering previously gave you a key that would let you install on any number of PCs, but running installers is cumbersome, especially if you work with PCs that are not yours.What you really need is something like this:<figure><img alt="Screenshot of Technician&#39;s USB via Autoplay" src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure>There are some unique challenges running Reflect in a portable mode. But first, what does the Technician’s Application get you? What should it get you? As it stood, we could already create PE-based USB sticks which would boot and allow you to image any system; to this, we’ve added a copy of Reflect that can be used from a live system.That means given one USB stick, you can either boot up the PE environment to rescue a system, or insert the stick and image/restore a live system. If you’ve purchased a technician’s license and are connected to the internet, you should see this option in your recovery screen:<figure><img alt="Option to create technician&#39;s USB" src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure>How do you know you’re going to get this option? If you’ve purchased a technician’s license, this now shows up on your splash screen:<figure><img alt="Splash screen showing technician&#39;s word" src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure>If you check this option, Reflect will be copied to the USB stick along with all the files it needs to run.So, what are the challenges of running Reflect from a USB stick? Well, here’s some of our modifications to Reflect to make it work:<ul><li>The portable version of Reflect acts in a similar manner to the PE version — it’s essentially a cut down version without features such as loading backup definitions, because these can’t be reliably found (this could be any computer, after all).</li><li>The portable version must not touch the local system. So, all logging is disabled and registry is read only — if you have settings, these will be loaded, but if you don’t, the usual defaults will apply.</li><li>Unlike the PE version, VSS must be used as the volumes are online.</li><li>Licensing. We added a variety of technician’s mode checks to the licensing. Internally, we had discussions about issuing specific technician’s mode keys, but we decided this was inconvenient for large numbers of our customers who already have a technician’s license — so we decided an easier method was to make this part of the activation process. You’ll need to run an online activation to enable the technician’s features and you’ll need to be online when creating a technician’s USB stick (but not any other type of rescue media) so we can validate the license. We decided this was not hugely inconvenient — once done, the stick can then be used offline for the duration of the license.</li><li>Standalone services — previously, internal components of the application required the presence of ReflectService to run. Clearly, we cannot assume ReflectService is there, so we adjusted some of our components to compensate.</li><li>Stick removal and executable memory mapping. This one’s a bit technical, but basically standard executables are not designed to be run from media that might then be removed — luckily, we can (and do) cope with this via some special magic.</li></ul>That’s it. Now, you can take the USB stick, insert it into a PC and run Reflect with all the essential backup/restore features you need:<figure><img alt="Reflect Technician&#39;s mode in operation" src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure>I left off one killer feature, though — because it’s a good one. If you’re used to using Reflect on systems that use, for example, RAID controllers, you’ll know you often need to add drivers to the rescue media in order to boot. With the Technician’s USB, we’ve enhanced that functionality — the copy of Reflect that runs on the live system can take drivers from the live system for unsupported devices and add them to the USB stick, making them available for the bootable environment that’s also on the stick!<figure><img alt="Driver Injection Dialog" src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure>That’s it for the current iteration of the Technician’s USB stick — however, stay tuned, we’ve other developments in the pipeline. We’ll be rolling this functionality out shortly — keep an eye out for a new update.When will it be ready?Shortly. We’re just going through the final testing phase before releasing this gradually to customers with a Technician’s License.Update 26/09/2012: This functionality is now live in the latest release for customers with a technician’s license.

One of the long standing requests for Macrium Reflect is the ability to be able

Technician’s License: Reflect as a portable application

Macrium Reflect, as you may know, has the ability to mount your backup images as drives in Windows Explorer. We do this via a device driver which presents your image as a disk drive to the system.One of the major wishlist items for Reflect has been a standalone installer for our image mounting product. Conceptually, this isn’t too hard to do, except our driver was never really written for that purpose; so as part of the work developing this product, I made quite a number of modifications to the driver, including adding support for the mount manager and plug ’n’ play support so that our images are ejectable along with any other removable medium.First Problem: UAC, or, why DefineDosDevice does not play with Vista or greaterThe traditional route for creating drive letters was to do something like this:[c] TCHAR VolumeName[] = _T(“Z:”); TCHAR DeviceName[] = _T(“\Device\VDisk1”);if (!DefineDosDevice( DDD_RAW_TARGET_PATH, &amp;VolumeName[4], DeviceName )) { // error case } [/c]However, be aware — this does not work with UAC; at least, not as expected. Firstly — DefineDosDevice creates a symbolic link from a given drive letter to your device. In principle, this is exactly what you want to achieve; however, depending on who you are depends on where the link is created:<ul><li>NTAUTHORITYSYSTEM: link is created in \GLOBAL??</li><li>Administrator running as elevated — link is created in the elevated user’s session space</li><li>Administrator running as normal privileges — link is created in the normal user’s session space</li></ul>So, depending on who you are depends on how visible your drive letter is. For example, if you create the drive as an administrator running as a normal user, when you run explorer in elevated mode you won’t be able to see the drive! Conversely, drives created from an elevated mode are invisible to the non-elevated users.This situation arises because as of Windows Vista, DosDevices are by default local to your current session and with UAC enabled, an administrator user logs in with two sessions — one with the privileged administrator token and one with the filtered normal privileges token.By constrast, NTAUTHORITYSYSTEM can DefineDosDevice into the \GLOBAL?? space, which is the behaviour for all users on Vista.So the first challenge — how to make a device accessible to normal, unprivileged users. Normally, they cannot DeviceIoControl to devices with the default permissions. Luckily, using a SDDL string, we can describe the device’s permissions:[c] RtlInitUnicodeString(&amp;usSDDL, _T(“D:P(A;;GA;;;SY)(A;;GA;;;BA)(A;;GA;;;BU)(A;;GA;;;WD)”));ntStatus = IoCreateDeviceSecure( pDriverObject, sizeof(DEVICE_EXTENSION), // we defined this structure &amp;usDeviceName, // name of device. FILE_DEVICE_DISK, // Present disk device FILE_DEVICE_SECURE_OPEN, // don’t allow trailing names. FALSE, &amp;usSDDL, // security descriptor NULL, &amp;pDeviceObject ); [/c]Just for interest’s sake, if you’re lost as to what I’m talking about — download WinObj and have a poke around. You should be able to find all your sessions and symlinks:<figure><img alt="Screenshot of the WinObj program in operation." src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure>So, getting this far we can mount a device either for the unprivileged administrator, or for the privileged one. Alternatively, we can run a service and create a symlink as NT AUTHORITYSYSTEM.This is not a particularly polished solution, although it does work.Second Problem: The NT Mount ManagerNow, whilst DefineDosDevice works, for all intents and purposes, we’re not really obeying NT’s management of volumes at all. To do this properly, we really need to use the NT Mount Manager. Three messages matter:<ul><li>IOCTL_MOUNTMGR_VOLUME_ARRIVAL_NOTIFICATION — let the mount manager know we’ve arrived.</li><li>IOCTL_MOUNTMGR_CREATE_POINT — create a mount point, e.g. a drive letter.</li><li>IOCTL_MOUNTMGR_DELETE_POINTS — Undo CREATE_POINT.</li></ul>Using these, and responding appropriately, we can create a volume via the mount manager which will show up in the global win32 devices namespace as \GLOBAL??Volume{GUID} and appear as a link \GLOBALX: -&gt; DeviceTarget.Combined with IoCreateDeviceSecure, this allows us to receive messages from our userland-side code, e.g. Reflect, and let Windows know a volume has arrived. We can then remove it when the times comes for this, too.This has a number of advantages over the Windows 9x-era solution set:<ol><li>Works with UAC. This is a really crucial part of modern Windows, and requiring customers disable it would be poor. Similarly, we should be able to mount images from both elevated and normal states, which we now can.</li><li>Delegates handling drive letters to Windows. Although we might request a certain letter, Windows knows if these have already been allocated or it cannot hand us one for some reason — and sorts that out for us.</li><li>Plays correctly in every other possible way with Windows Volume Management, should we wish to support these features in the future.</li></ol>What would I like to bring in next? Plug and Play support. It would be great to be able to eject images from the PnP manager as if they were devices. Oh, and we have some other ideas in progress too.

Macrium Reflect, as you may know, has the ability to mount your backup images

Virtual Disk Drivers, UAC and NT

If you need to discover an instance of an SQL server in code, there are three ways of doing so. Some are more reliable and consistent than others so a mixture of at least two will guarantee that you find the instance that you want to. The following methods hold true for all versions of SQL Server and Express 2005, 2008 and 2012. SQL 2000 might work but there is no guarantee as they seemed to do things differently in the olden days.<h4>Registry</h4>The easiest and probably most reliable way to get the SQL instances that are installed on the local machine is to simply check the registry. If you look in:<pre>HK_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Microsoft SQL Server/</pre>The registry value “InstalledInstances” contains a list of all instances installed on the local PC. The local default instance will be called MSSQLServer. Subsequent instances are given by name, but in order to log on to them, you need to prepend the hostname of the PC if using ODBC. For example, if your instance is called Accounts and your local PC is called SQL_SERVER_01, you would need to pass “SQL_SERVER_01/Accounts” into the ODBC string to log onto it. To log onto the local server, I recommend you simply use “(local)” as it saves any confusion that may be caused using the local hostname, “.” or “./” etc.<h4>SQLBrowseConnect</h4>Microsoft supply a function called SQLBrowseConnect that can be used in order to retrieve instances not only on the local PC, but also on remote PCs accessible over the local network. The function works by taking an ODBC connection string and returning a string with the instances it has found. If used according to the specification supplied by <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms714565(v=vs.85).aspx">Microsoft</a>, the string also contains clues as to information that is missing. This can be used to form user input dialogs. When missing data is retrieved, the ODBC connection string can be augmented to retrieve further information such as databases and languages available on each particular instance. However, to simply retrieve a list of instances, you just need the following connection string:<pre>“Driver={SQL Server};&quot;</pre>This will return a string that must be parsed. It will return all SQL instances on the local network, so if you are only interested in those on the local machine you will have to parse for only instances that use the local host name.In contradiction to the registry, the local default instance will be listed as the hostname of the PC and subsequent instances using a path style notation. So the “(local)” instance will be SQL_SERVER_01 and the accounts instance will be SQL_SERVER_01/Accounts. A code excerpt of how to call SQLBrowseConnect is below:[code language=”cpp”] SQLHENV hSQLEnv; SQLHDBC hSQLHdbc; short sConnStrOut; //Allocate the environment handle m_iRetcode = SQLAllocHandle(SQL_HANDLE_ENV, SQL_NULL_HANDLE, &amp;hSQLEnv); if (m_iRetcode == SQL_SUCCESS || m_iRetcode == SQL_SUCCESS_WITH_INFO) { //Set the environment attribute to SQL_OV_ODBC3 m_iRetcode = SQLSetEnvAttr(hSQLEnv, SQL_ATTR_ODBC_VERSION, (void *)SQL_OV_ODBC3, 0); if (m_iRetcode == SQL_SUCCESS || m_iRetcode == SQL_SUCCESS_WITH_INFO) { //Allocate a connection handle m_iRetcode = SQLAllocHandle(SQL_HANDLE_DBC, hSQLEnv, &amp;hSQLHdbc); if (m_iRetcode == SQL_SUCCESS || m_iRetcode == SQL_SUCCESS_WITH_INFO) { CString szConnStrOut; CString inputParam(pszInputParam); //Call SQLBrowseConnect for additional information m_iRetcode = SQLBrowseConnect(hSQLHdbc, inputParam.GetBuffer(), SQL_NTS, (szConnStrOut.GetBuffer(MAX_RET_LENGTH)), MAX_RET_LENGTH, &amp;sConnStrOut); szConnStrOut.ReleaseBuffer(); } } } [/code]There are however some major disadvantages of this. Specifically, when you call this function, it will block for several seconds. In theory, you can change the timeout by calling SQLSetEnvAttr(), but this didn’t seem to work. Even if you call it from a thread, the user is probably going to get rather bored looking at a throbber each time he clicks on the refresh button to update the list of instances. We also found in testing that for some reason, this function sometimes could not find some instances on our network.<h4>Do it yourself</h4>The way in which SQLBrowseConnect works is quite simple. It sends out a UDP packet to the broadcast address (255.255.255.255) and port 1434 containing a payload of 0x02. SQL servers listening on this port respond in kind by supplying information about which instances are installed etc. The SQLBrowseConnect implementation chooses to wait for quite a while before returning, presumably to ensure that data is not missed. However, if you know what you are looking for i.e. you are only interested in instances on the local machine, you don’t have to hang around so long for the data to return. I created a simple app (below) that sends the 0x02 data and waits on a select for the response which is generally immediate. Below is a code excerpt that will hopefully help:[code language=”cpp”]SOCKET udpSocket; struct sockaddr_in serverAddress; if ((udpSocket = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM, IPPROTO_UDP)) &lt; 0) return; // set up the address serverAddress.sin_family = AF_INET; serverAddress.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_LOOPBACK); serverAddress.sin_port = htons(1434); // the payload char payload = 0x02; // config the port for broadcast BOOL broadcast = TRUE; setsockopt(udpSocket, SOL_SOCKET, SO_BROADCAST, reinterpret_cast(&amp;broadcast), sizeof(BOOL)); // receive address info sockaddr_in RecvAddr; RecvAddr.sin_family = AF_INET; RecvAddr.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY); sockaddr_in SenderAddr; int SenderAddrSize = sizeof (SenderAddr); // bind the socket to the receive address info bind(udpSocket, (SOCKADDR *) &amp; RecvAddr, sizeof (RecvAddr)); // send packet sendto(udpSocket, &amp;payload, 1, 0, (struct sockaddr *) &amp;serverAddress, sizeof(serverAddress)) // set up a select so that if we don’t get a timely response we just bomb out. fd_set fds ; struct timeval tv ; // Set up the file descriptor set. FD_ZERO(&amp;fds) ; FD_SET(udpSocket, &amp;fds) ; // Set up the struct timeval for the timeout. tv.tv_sec = 5 ; tv.tv_usec = 0 ; // Wait until timeout or data received. int n = select ( (int)udpSocket, &amp;fds, NULL, NULL, &amp;tv ) ; if ( n == 0) // timeout return; else if( n == -1 ) // error return; // receive buffer char RecvBuf[4048]; int BufLen = 4048; memset(RecvBuf, 0, 4048); iResult = recvfrom(udpSocket, RecvBuf, 4048, 0, (SOCKADDR *) &amp; SenderAddr, &amp;SenderAddrSize); if (iResult == SOCKET_ERROR) return; } // we have received some data. However we need to parse it to get the info we require if (iResult &gt; 0) { // parse RecvBuf here } [/code]<h4>Beware</h4>You might think that the best of all of these methods is the DIY approach. I did quite a bit of trawling and fiddling with Wireshark to get to this stage and when I had the implementation, I was pretty smug to say the least because the instance that remained hidden to SQLBrowseConnect suddenly revealed itself. We still haven’t discovered why this is, and can only put it down to pixie dust. However, I did find out that there was a massive security problem with port 1434. Perhaps this has been fixed now, but jumpy sys-admins may switch this port off meaning that any IP style discovery mechanisms may be denied by this hosts firewall. However, on testing, I have found that the registry entry is very reliable and it is possible to install different versions of SQL on the same machine without any conflicts to this registry entry.

If you need to discover an instance of an SQL server in code, there are three

How to discover SQL instances

Just how exactly should that API be called?When you’re dealing with a simple Windows API call such as MessageBox, you can probably deduce what you should be doing via an experiment or two, but some API calls are non-trivial and involve a lot of set up, particularly the likes of Volume Shadow Copy, and some more obscure, undocumented APIs.Luckily, there is a way to trivially work out how applications use these APIs, if you can identify one that does what you think it should. Firstly, <a href="http://www.dependencywalker.com/">dependency walker</a> should be used to profile the calls an application is making and which DLLs are being made.The next thing you need to know is that it is possible to <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms682600%28v=vs.85%29.aspx">redirect DLL function calls</a> in Windows. This technique means you can effectively replace a system DLL with your own DLL, provided you redirect all of the symbols in it to the original.So the next thing you need to do is to list the functions exported by a DLL. The SDK gives you a utility to do this — here’s an example:<pre>C:&gt; dumpbin /exports c:windowssystem32kernel32.dll Microsoft (R) COFF/PE Dumper Version 11.00.50214.1 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.</pre><pre>Dump of file c:windowsSystem32kernel32.dll</pre><pre>File Type: DLL</pre><pre>Section contains the following exports for KERNEL32.dll</pre><pre>00000000 characteristics 4E20FCBC time date stamp Sat Jul 16 03:51:40 2011 0.00 version 1 ordinal base 1390 number of functions 1390 number of names</pre><pre>ordinal hint RVA name ... 138 89 00023190 CreateFileA 139 8A 0000EAD0 CreateFileMappingA 140 8B 00064FB0 CreateFileMappingNumaA 141 8C 0004C550 CreateFileMappingNumaW 142 8D 0000F9F0 CreateFileMappingW 143 8E 000759C0 CreateFileTransactedA 144 8F 00075820 CreateFileTransactedW 145 90 00011870 CreateFileW ...</pre><pre>Since I detest the very sight of VBScript, I chose to write the next part in Python. This essentially processes the raw output from dumpbin, producing a header which includes linker pragmas to set up DLL redirection.</pre><pre>[code language=&quot;python&quot;] #!/usr/bin/env python</pre><pre>import re import sys</pre><pre>def get_functions(file_path): funcs = [] exports = re.compile(&#39;s+d+s+[A-Fa-f0-9]+s+&#39; &#39;[A-Fa-f0-9]+s+(?P&amp;lt;functionname&amp;gt;S+)&#39;) redirexps = re.compile(&#39;s+d+s+[A-Fa-f0-9]+s+(?P&amp;lt;functionname&amp;gt;S+)&#39; &#39;s+(forwarded to &#39; &#39;(?P&amp;lt;forward_name&amp;gt;[A-Za-z0-9_.]+))&#39;)</pre><pre>with open(file_path, &amp;quot;rb&amp;quot;) as f: while True: line = f.readline() if not line: break matches = exports.match(line) if matches: funcs.append(matches.group(&#39;functionname&#39;)) matches = redirexps.match(line) if matches: funcs.append(matches.group(&#39;functionname&#39;)) return funcs</pre><pre>def convert_to_pragma(funcs, orig_dll): return [&amp;quot;#pragma comment(linker, &amp;quot;/export:%s=%s.%s,@%d&amp;quot;)&amp;quot; % (func, orig_dll, func, i) for i, func in enumerate(funcs, 1)]</pre><pre>def write_defs(funcs, output_file): deffile_text = &amp;quot;LIBRARY vssapi.dllnn&amp;quot; deffile_text += &amp;quot;EXPORTSn&amp;quot;</pre><pre>for func in funcs: &amp;quot;&amp;quot;&amp;quot; special processing is needed for C++ redirects &amp;quot;&amp;quot;&amp;quot; deffile_text += &amp;quot; %s=Redirected%sn&amp;quot; % (func, func) deffile_text += &amp;quot;nn&amp;quot;</pre><pre>with open(output_file, &amp;quot;wb&amp;quot;) as f: f.write(deffile_text)</pre><pre>def write_full_header(pragma_lines, output): header_text = &amp;quot;/* DLL Redirection Header */ nn&amp;quot; header_text += &amp;quot;#pragma oncenn&amp;quot;</pre><pre>for p in pragma_lines: header_text += &amp;quot;%sn&amp;quot; % (p)</pre><pre>header_text += &amp;quot;nn&amp;quot;</pre><pre>with open(output, &amp;quot;wb&amp;quot;) as f: f.write(header_text)</pre><pre>if __name__ == &amp;quot;__main__&amp;quot;: input_file = sys.argv[1] target_dll = sys.argv[2] output_prefix = sys.argv[3]</pre><pre>output_header = &amp;quot;%s.h&amp;quot; % (output_prefix) output_defs = &amp;quot;%s.def&amp;quot; % (output_prefix) write_full_header(convert_to_pragma(get_functions(input_file), target_dll), output_header) write_defs(get_functions(input_file), output_defs) [/code]</pre><pre>If you include this header in a project named after the DLL you want to intercept, in our case kernel32.dll, and rename the original dll kernel32_0.dll, paste these into the application directory, depends.exe will show you this:</pre><figure><img alt="Kernel32.dll Redirection in Dependency Walker" src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure><pre>In other words, all the calls to kernel32.dll (ours) are being redirected to the original - note we&#39;ve some interesting behaviour going on, because our kernel32.dll uses the real kernel32.dll...</pre><pre>Now, here&#39;s the magic. We do not have to redirect those functions - we could export symbols matching the names of those functions ourselves, and do whatever we felt like doing.</pre><pre>This is how you work out how an obscure API call is used - replace it with a stub which does two things:</pre><ul><li>Writes the arguments somewhere useful, e.g. a log file</li><li>Calls the original</li></ul><pre>It&#39;s that simple. The possibilities extend way beyond this, of course. You can write any code you like in place of the existing function call. A brief function would look like this:</pre><pre>[code language=&quot;cpp&quot;] typedef HANDLE (WINAPI *pCreateFileW)(LPCTSTR,DWORD,DWORD,LPSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES, DWORD, DWORD, HANDLE);</pre><pre>extern &amp;quot;C&amp;quot; HANDLE WINAPI RedirectedCreateFileW ( LPCTSTR lpFileName, DWORD dwDesiredAccess, DWORD dwShareMode, LPSECURITY_ATTRIBUTES lpSA, DWORD dwCreationDisposition, DWORD dwFlagsAndAttributes, HANDLE hTemplateFile) { HMODULE hOrigLib = LoadLibrary(L&amp;quot;kernel32_0.dll&amp;quot;); pCreateFileW orig_func = (pCreateFileW) GetProcAddress(hOrigLib, &amp;quot;CreateFileW&amp;quot;);</pre><pre>// do something here</pre><pre>HANDLE h = orig_func(lpFileName, dwDesiredAccess, dwShareMode, lpSA, dwCreationDisposition, dwFlagsAndAttributes, hTemplateFile); CloseHandle(hOrigLib); return h; } [/code]</pre><pre>Of course, this method is quite intrusive, requiring copying DLLs into place. On the plus side, it works with delay-loaded DLLs via LoadLibrary, for which IAT Hooking fails. Since we&#39;re not needing to hide with this technique, for what we want it makes perfect sense.</pre>

Just how exactly should that API be called?When you’re dealing with a simple

DLL Redirection — debugging techniques for Windows Applications

If you’ve been following Visual Studio development at all, you’ll no doubt be very interested in the <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/11/en-us">Visual Studio 11 Beta</a>, especially as it ships with a go live license.We certainly were; however, a significant number of our customers still use and need to back up and restore Windows XP systems, so the news that <a href="http://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/690617">vNext Beta would not support building executables for Windows XP</a> was a showstopper for us. Indeed, the latest news is that <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudio/archive/2012/05/18/a-look-ahead-at-the-visual-studio-11-product-lineup-and-platform-support.aspx">XP Support will not ship with the RTM, however, it may be supplied later at an unspecified date</a>.However, we were keen to start using the latest and greatest features of Visual Studio 11 now, especially with our soon to be unleashed beta code. It turns out were are not the only ones interested in XP support, and <a href="https://tedwvc.wordpress.com/">Ted had a solution</a>.So we can understand how Ted’s solution works, we’ll begin with a quick primer on linker resolution. There are two ways to link an executable; statically or dynamically. Static linking is the easier of the two to understand — you look for a symbol and you change all references to that symbol to the relative address from the base of the executable. Well — sort of, anyway. It’s good enough here.This all happens at compile time; dynamic linking on Windows often uses an import library to symbols that look like this:<pre>__imp_</pre>When Windows runs your executable, the import library pulls in the right references, and the stub functions call the real functions. For more, have a read of <a href="http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/dynamic-linking-linux-and-windows-part-two">this article</a>.Now, the statically linked versions of these libraries use exactly the same names to link against — except that the relevant implementation is pulled directly into the executable.Now, the final thing to understand is order. When the linker is searching for a symbol, it uses the first version of a symbol it finds and imports that object. As such, it is possible to override what gets imported into an executable for compilation.Now, the reason vNext does not support Windows XP is because the MFC and CRT libraries have been built to assume symbols available on Vista or greater. As such, an executable built using vNext and run on Windows XP will attempt to use functions that do not exist in say, for example, kernel32.dll. When the dynamic link helper attempts to resolve the function it won’t be able to, and the application will not start.You can probably see where this is going. The solution then is fairly straight forward — all we need to do is define those symbols, implement the relevant functions and ensure these, and not the default libraries, get linked.That’s what Ted’s solution, to which I’ve contributed in a small part, does. Firstly, some assembler files are used to define function calls with the correct names, as using __imp_ prefixed functions from C is not easy (or nice). We’ll use an example function, <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd317761(v=vs.85).aspx">CompareStringEx</a>. Firstly, Ted’s implementation lives in AfxCompareStringEx, so we define a prototype (forward declaration, if you like):<pre>AfxCompareStringEx PROTO :QWORD,:DWORD,:QWORD,:DWORD,:QWORD,:DWORD,:QWORD,:QWORD,:QWORD</pre>32-bit versions of this must also specify a calling convention — the Windows API uses <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86_calling_conventions#stdcall">stdcall</a>. Then in our data section, we define our reference:<pre>.data __imp_CompareStringEx dq AfxCompareStringEx</pre>All that remains after this is to export the symbol, so the linker can find it:<pre>EXTERNDEF __imp_CompareStringEx : DWORD</pre>Note the sizes of the fields used correspond to the sizes of the datatypes on a 64-bit platform — pointers are QWORDs on 64-bit, and dq defines a qword data item. The 32-bit versions of these examples use DWORD pointers.The actual implementations of these functions generally works like this:[code language=”c”]// function pointer type typedef BOOLEAN (WINAPI *pFunctionName)(**args**);// are we running on Vista? if (IsVista) { // have we already obtained a pointer to the function we want? if (!FunctionName_p) { // open a handle to kernel32.dll HMODULE mod = GetModuleHandle( _T(&amp;quot;KERNEL32.DLL&amp;quot;)); if (mod) { // get the address of the function; cast it to our function pointer. FunctionName_p = (pFunctionName) GetProcAddress(mod, &amp;quot;FunctionName&amp;quot;); } } // call the function with our arguments return FunctionName_p(**args**); } else { // XP implementation } [/code]Hopefully that’s pretty clear — if we’re using Vista onwards, all we do is call the Vista functions. However, on XP we basically have to reimplement these functions, which is done. This is what Ted has done in the various c++ files he provides.So, looking to get XP SP2 / Server 2003 support for your application? Get over to Ted’s blog and download the XP support code he has on offer. Don’t forget — you must be using static linkage.

If you’ve been following Visual Studio development at all, you’ll no doubt be

Supporting Windows XP SP2+ with vNext

We pride ourselves on two things at Macrium:<ul><li>Our support. We aspire to offer the best support in the industry bar none.</li><li>The technical skill of our team. We believe we employ the best people, bar none.</li></ul>The thing is, until now we’ve had no voice for our technical types. We do so much really interesting, in depth work, yet we have no way to share that with the world.Until now.We’ve now decided the time has come to set up a blog, so you can hear from us directly. Welcome! We aim to get the entire team involved in this. Do note this is not a support blog — if you need support you need to go through our existing channels.

We pride ourselves on two things at Macrium:Our support. We aspire to offer the

Starting the Macrium Blog

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<figure><img alt="" src="/no-image-to-display.jpg" /></figure>In this thread of #BackupFAQ blog post you can find answer to common questions we receive from our customers, where we explain all you need to know about Macrium Software, our Products and the Backup industry. Leave a comment if you have suggestions for our next publication.This week we explain how support works and how its renewal may affect your licence.<h3><a href="https://www.macrium.com/support">Macrium Support &amp; Maintenance</a></h3><h3>What does Standard support include?</h3>Macrium Reflect business editions (Workstation, Server, and Server Plus for Exchange and SQL), all include 12 months free Standard Support &amp; Maintenance included in the purchase of each license, which is renewable for subsequent years. Standard Support includes access to support via email, our KnowledgeBase and our customer forum.We also offer a Premium Support option which includes priority response and telephone support.Both Standard and Premium Support include Upgrade Protection, so Minor updates (for example v7.1 to v7.2) and Major upgrades (for example v7 to v8) are free while the subscription is current.<h3>What does Home Essentials support include?</h3>When you purchase Macrium Reflect Home Edition, Macrium Home Essentials Support is provided free for one year.Macrium Home Essentials Support includes access to support via email, our KnowledgeBase and our customer forum. Many problems can be solved by finding solutions within the Forum, KnowledgeBase (KB) Tutorials, Help Tutorials and YouTube videos; these are instant solutions rather than having to wait for Macrium Support to respond (usually within 24 hours during weekdays).After the year of Home Essentials ends you will still have full and permanent access to our active and helpful customer forum and KnowledgeBase.<h3>Does Home Essentials support include upgrades?</h3>Minor updates (for example v7.1 to v7.2) are free. Major upgrades (for example v7 to v8) are chargeable but with an upgrade discount — usually around 40% to 50% off the price of a new license.<h3>What is the difference between the Macrium Reflect Home Essentials Support and Macrium Reflect Standard Support?</h3>Workstation licenses include eligibility for support when using Reflect in a business environment, which is explicitly NOT supported for users of the Home edition.Workstation licences have Standard Support and Maintenance that can be upgraded to Premium 24x7 Support, and is renewable as an optional fee each year. It also allows you to get Major updates for free.With the Home Edition, Essentials support cannot be renewed after 12 months unless a new license is purchased.NB: 30-Day Trial users (of any edition) receive email support and we will answer any questions while evaluating our software for the full 30 days of the trial.<h3>What are the big differences between standard and premium support?</h3>Both offer access to the Support Forum, KnowledgeBase, Upgrade Protection and remote support via email. But Premium support offers benefits that can be key when a disaster strikes: It offers the option of receiving Telephone Support, having Case Priority, 24x7 coverage and a typical response time of 12 hours instead of 24 hours.<h3>Do you offer email and Forum support for the Free Edition?</h3>The free edition is not supported although users do have access to view the Forum, KnowledgeBase and YouTube videos. We have over 6 million users of Macrium reflect Free worldwide and there is no way we could provide support for a free product. Of course we hope the Free Edition will demonstrate the value of Macrium Reflect and result in people who are willing to pay for additional value. But if you want to keep using the free version, you’re welcome to do so: it is not time limited in any way (unlike the 30-Day Trial).<h3>How does the support renewal process work?</h3>The Business Support and Maintenance subscriptions are for 12 months and must be renewed to retain access to support and maintenance. All business edition licenses without a current support subscription are eligible for an upgrade with a discount of up to 50%.Any business edition of Macrium Reflect (Workstation, Server, Server Plus, and Technicians Licenses) that have a current support subscription, are eligible for a free upgrade to the current version. If the support subscription for a license expired within the last 90 days it is still possible renew it, so the license will be eligible for a free upgrade.Home Essentials Support is for 12 months only and cannot be renewed, unless a new license is purchased.Please note: the upgrade discount only applies to previous purchased versions, it does not apply when upgrading from the free or 30-Day Trial to the latest full purchased version.<h3>Will my licence still work if my support has expired and I don’t renew it?</h3>Yes, Macrium Reflect Home, Workstation, Server, and Server Plus licenses are perpetual and independent of the support subscription.Each Macrium Reflect Workstation, Server, and Server Plus Editions license key is for one computer and it should be only transferred to another computer for legitimate upgrade/replacement purposes. When you purchase any of these editions you have the software licenses for life, there is no annual fee to pay, independently of having renewed your support or not.The exception is when you upgrade an old version to a current version. Your old license key becomes invalidated and replaced by the new upgrade license key.<h3>What about the Technicians and Deployment Kit Licenses?</h3>These two license types run alongside the other business editions. These license are ideal for IT technicians or service companies who might maintain a large number of PCs and may wish to back them up prior to carrying out work. Without the Technicians License, each PC requires separate licensed copy of Macrium Reflect, because the usual licensing arrangement is machine specific. Using a Technicians license allows the technician to backup or image each PC using a single license.The Technicians Deployment Kit License allows up to 5 technicians to create “Master” or “Golden” images and deploy them to an unlimited number of workstations and servers. This enables internal IT departments and commercial IT specialists to set up PCs without having to purchase a separate license for each workstation or server providing the software is not installed on more than one PC at a time.The Technicians and Deployment Kit licenses last for one year, after which they can be renewed. If the subscription is not renewed they will downgrade to a standalone Server Edition license and Portable Application Support* will no longer function.Macrium Premium Support &amp; Maintenance is included with Technicians and Deployment Licenses, while the license subscription is active.<h3>*What is Portable Application Support?</h3>Portable application support ships exclusively with Macrium Reflect Technicians Licenses. In addition to allowing you to create a bootable USB stick from which you can rescue your systems, you can also optionally add Portable Application support to your media. This will allow you to run Macrium Reflect on your licensed PCs directly from the USB stick, without needing to install Reflect on the workstation or server first. The base install of Macrium Reflect may only be installed on a single PC at a time. If you wish to move this install, you will have to uninstall and reinstall the software.We hope you have enjoyed this post. We will come back soon with more #FAQs updates.You can download a 30-day Trial of <a href="https://www.macrium.com/products/business/standalone/workstation">Macrium Reflect Workstation</a> or <a href="https://www.macrium.com/site-manager">Site Manager 7.</a> Technical support for Trial users evaluating our software is available via <a href="https://www.macrium.com/support">email.</a>

In this thread of #BackupFAQ blog post you can find answer to common questions

#BackupFAQ — If my support expired does it affect my software licence?

# 6 best ways to love your data

It’s been said and repeated countless times, but data is the most valuable resource in the world. Your data. Everyone’s data. Companies are still clamoring to learn everything and anything about you to sell on to the highest bidder, hackers are hoping to get a valuable nugget for ransom leverage, and others are just collecting… collecting and waiting for a time when it can be best used. 

Sounds more like a horror story than a romance, but you aren’t powerless! There are a few important ways to show your data some love, and what better time to do it than International Love Data Week? 

## Check out these International Love Data Week events

First of all, let’s have a little fun and schedule in some great online events that are going on! Here are a few that jumped out, but be sure to check out [the complete list here](https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/ICPSR/cms/4544 "www.icpsr.umich.edu"). There are plenty of online and in-person events to choose from. 

[**Falling in Love with Data**](https://villanova.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJElcOmorzksGNT1cyET8YgVcX2yAOAnRLbu "https://villanova.zoom.us") - This beginner workshop will provide an overview of ICPSR, an online data archive available to social science researchers.

[**Dating with Data: 50 Years of Romantic Relationships**](https://calendar.lib.vt.edu/event/10275825 "calendar.lib.vt.edu") - How have US attitudes toward inter-racial, inter-religious, and LGBTQ+ relationships changed over the past half century? Find out what surveys from 1972-2022 say while sharing some Valentine's Day treats as part of International Love Data Week!

[**Love Data Week - Data Privacy**](https://library.temple.edu/events/1389 "library.temple.edu") - Learn about data privacy from Dina Gayanova, a data privacy and cybersecurity attorney in Holland & Knight's Philadelphia office.

[**Data for Social Good**](https://uncw.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lcuCurTgrHtfdskbF47WpbT4f5Gap_kHO#/registration "uncw.zoom.us") - Data can be used to bring about changes that matter. Hear from various researchers about how they have used data to make an impact on society. They will reflect upon how they first recognized what impact their data could have, and how they then worked towards turning that data into a form to be practically used beyond academia.

**[Love Data Week: Introduction to Data Visualization with Tableau](https://library.temple.edu/events/1436 "library.temple.edu")** - Do you like data? Do you like good looking graphs? Do you like presenting information in eye-catching ways? If you answered yes to any of those, you might be interested in learning more about data visualization.

## Choose a privacy-focused alternative search engine

Google isn’t the only kid on the block anymore. There are new alternatives every day, but if you’re looking for an option that keeps your privacy front and center, why not give these a spin? Ecosia even plants trees the more you search! 

[DuckDuckGo](https://duckduckgo.com/ "DuckDuckGo.com")

[Startpage](https://www.startpage.com/ "www.startpage.com")

[Ecosia](https://info.ecosia.org/privacy "info.ecosia.org")

Disclaimer (and minor rabbit hole for you to fall into)

[Global surveillance alliances are an important](https://www.techspot.com/article/2515-surveillance-intelligence-alliances/ "www.techspot.com"), and sometimes invisible, piece of the cyber security puzzle. It’s important to educate yourself on your country’s laws and alliances, as all the good intentions a company may have are still subject to the law.

## Regularly check your app security settings

You’ve heard the saying, “If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.” Luckily, in most jurisdictions, the law has finally caught up with technology and we’re now able to choose what information we share. The apps we love to use have a tendency to love using us back, but it’s important that all parties involved are okay with that trade.

So keep an eye on [your security settings](https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-check-app-permissions-ios-android-macos-windows/ "www.wired.com"), actually [read your EULAs](https://measuringu.com/eula/ "measuringu.com") (or at least give it a good college try), and take a few moments to consider what you’re giving in exchange for that “free” product or service.

## Learn about the most common cyber security threats

[Cyber criminals are constantly changing and adapting their techniques](https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware/home "www.ncsc.gov.uk") for getting their hands on your info, but the absolute best protection against it: knowledge. Learn about the different ways your information can be accessed and stolen so it’s more obvious to you when you see it.

Even things as simple as keeping different passwords for different accounts, and turning on 2-factor authentication can go a long way.

## Best VPNs in 2023

This could be a blog post in itself (and probably will be soon) but we’d be remiss if it wasn’t included in this list. There are a variety of VPNs out there to suit your needs and price point, whether it’s just a browser extension or something for your whole household.

[TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/vpn/best-vpn "www.techradar.com") has done a really great review of all the major VPNs out there right now, so have a read for the most current info and get started. Most offer free 30 day trials!

## Protect your data with backup and recovery software

And of course, rely on [Macrium Reflect 8](https://www.macrium.com/ "www.macrium.com") to protect your home PCs. Whether your data is compromised by hackers, lost due to human error, or destroyed due to a natural event, a well-planned backup strategy will protect you when you need it most.

Running regular backups is like a good insurance policy, and routinely checking you can restore them is the easiest way to trust your data is in good hands. And with [Macrium Image Guardian (MIG)](https://www.macrium.com/mig "www.macrium.com/mig"), you can rest easy knowing that even your backup files are safe from ransomware.

To celebrate International Love Data Week, we’re offering 20% off Reflect 8 Home! (from now until 20th February 2023) So put all these practices in place, get yourself top-notch backup and recovery software, and share the love with someone whose data you want to protect, too!

![macrium-software-adoption-certificate-lovedateweek23.png](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/macrium_software_adoption_certificate_lovedateweek23_84a3327e78.png)

It’s been said and repeated countless times, but data is the most valuable resource in the world. Your data. Everyone’s data. Companies are still clamoring to learn everything and anything about you to sell on to the highest bidder, hackers are hoping to get a valuable nugget for ransom leverage, and others are just collecting… collecting and waiting for a time when it can be best used. 

Sounds more like a horror story than a romance, but you aren’t powerless!

6 best ways to love your data

Similar to the [federal government](/the-federal-government-and-cybersecurity-risks "The Federal Government and Cybersecurity Risks"), state and local governments have cybersecurity threats. While the federal government is in charge of the U.S. as a whole, state and local governments manage cities, towns, tribals, and municipalities. This difference also leads to shifts in the way governments establish cybersecurity. On a state-to-state or city-to-city level, applications may change based on a number of factors. 

## What Does Cybersecurity Look Like on the State and Local Level?

State and local governments are vulnerable to cybercriminal activity as “they collect, process, store, and transmit vast amounts of sensitive data.” The wrong hands can weaponize and misuse data.

In 2020, hackers carried out 79 individual [ransomware attacks against U.S. government organizations](https://icma.org/blog-posts/practical-measures-local-government-avoid-ransomware "icma.org"). It cost downtime and recovery of nearly $18.88 billion. Clearly, ransomware is pervasive. The attack suspended “municipal operations, ultimately disrupting infrastructure services for 911 systems, utilities, and payment platforms with state and local governments.” 

[Cybercriminals target local governments](https://www.nlc.org/wp-contenthttps://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/2020/04/SML_2020Report_web-1.pdf "www.nlc.org"), which can “threaten to erode the trust that residents have in critical institutions.” The increasing reliance on IoT and automated systems may invite cyberattacks. They take advantage of gaps in security and the multiple entries of technology. Inadequate security measures and negligence within municipalities generate cyber risks.

![1406439_state-and-local-gov-graphic-3-2_071522.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/1406439_state_and_local_gov_graphic_3_2_071522_3fc6314d14.jpg)

From a [review of local government cybersecurity in 2020](https://icma.org/articles/pm-magazine/look-local-government-cybersecurity-2020 "icma.org"), local governments have three ways of cybersecurity structure: 

1.  **Centralized**: A single IT department is responsible for managing all the cybersecurity in a town or city. As a benefit, it ensures an extensive coverage of risks.
2.  **Decentralized**: Every department must run its own cybersecurity. Unlike centralized, a police department or building division in a town government must deal with IT matters individually.
3.  **Federated**: For local governments that operate with federated, it’s shared. The chief information security officer (CISO) assumes part of the authority for cyber protection. Local offices and departments take on the rest. The disadvantage of this model is that the CISO does not set the precedent for local government departments. A lot of breaches and cyberattacks can happen from a lack of education surrounding proper cybersecurity protocols. If a CISO is unable to totally control a local government’s cybersecurity, departments may be susceptible to hackers.

## Cybersecurity Preparedness

As with federal government agencies, local and state governments commonly take action post-attack. 

An example comes from the Riverside Ohio police and fire department in 2018\. The department servers suffered an unrecoverable data loss from 10 months of information. Unfortunately, it “effectively shut down the police department’s records management system.” Surprisingly, Riverside went through another data loss only a month after the initial shutdown. Since the first time, they ran daily backups in case it happened again, which it did. In March 2018 and May 2019, [two attacks occurred in the local government](https://icma.org/blog-posts/practical-measures-local-government-avoid-ransomware "icma.org") of the city of Baltimore as well. 

An [IBM news report](https://newsroom.ibm.com/2020-02-27-IBM-Survey-Only-38-of-State-and-Local-Government-Employees-Trained-on-Ransomware-Prevention "newsroom.ibm.com") examined the results from a poll. In it, U.S. city and state employees assessed their readiness for cyberattacks. Overwhelmingly, more than natural disasters and terrorist attacks, 73% of government employees feared “impending ransomware threats to cities across the country.” 

![1406447_stateandlocalgovgraphic1_071922.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/1406447_stateandlocalgovgraphic1_071922_969ebd5e0d.jpg)

Moreover, respondents revealed the prevalence of ransomware attacks. A poll showed that the departments of 1 in 6 employees had a ransomware attack. This evidence has not stimulated proactive prevention. Only 38% of employees received “general ransomware prevention training.” 

Along with cybersecurity structure in local government, there are obstacles to achieving uniform and effective cybersecurity across states, towns, and cities.

## Problems in Governments that Cause Cyber Risks 

Other factors contribute to the flaws in cybersecurity at this level of government. [IoT emerges as a feature in buildings](https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5356053/global-smart-buildings-market-by-technology-ai "researchandmarkets.com") that will only continue, according to Smart Buildings Market for 2021-2026\. The research estimates that “over 78% of new construction will involve at least one facet of IoT and/or related smart buildings market-related technologies over the course of the next five years.”

More state and local governments will incorporate these types of technologies into their offices. "[T]hese internet-connected devices and systems greatly increase exposure to cybersecurity risks.” IMCA reviewed the [consideration for IoT safety in municipalities](https://icma.org/blog-posts/cybersecurity-considerations-implement-iot "icma.org"). They go in hand with the accessibility and streamlined application that IoT offers. Technology is not dangerous but a lack of cybersecurity resources is.

![1406375_stateandlocalgovgraphic1_071422.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/1406375_stateandlocalgovgraphic1_071422_91111930fa.jpg)

Risks for administering IoT devices:

*   Weak or hard-coded passwords
*   Old and unpatched embedded operating systems and software
*   Insecure data transfer and storage
*   Lack of secure updates

![1406389_state-and-local-gov-graphic-2-2_071822.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/1406389_state_and_local_gov_graphic_2_2_071822_43e47181bc.jpg)

The Center for Digital Government (CDG) surveyed 103 state and local officials to [determine why governments lacked an effective security strateg](https://www.govtech.com/sponsored/how-state-and-local-governments-can-make-their-security-operations-ready-for-the-future "govtech.com")y:

*   46% said lack of cybersecurity skills among their workforce
*   40% said issues with integrating security tools
*   36% said the inability to rapidly respond to threats

The following security and compliance challenges include: 

*   Legacy 
*   Unpatched and non-supported networks increasing exposure
*   Excessive manual processes 
*   Limited enterprise visibility around the endpoints connected to networks

From the survey, 66% of participants acknowledged that “their data-sharing practices are only somewhat mature or not mature at all."

Governments experience challenges with data accessibility and sharing. They have difficulty transforming data into actionable intelligence. It's a result of different data formats and storage environments. “At the same time, governments must deal with an ever-evolving regulatory environment and an increasingly privacy-focused landscape that makes it safer for them to limit data sharing rather than expose themselves to added risks.”

Data analytic challenges from a CDG survey:

*   41% said security
*   38% said privacy concerns
*   35% said data quality
*   34% said data silos

The article poses a few solutions:

*   Governments need to better align their data with people, technologies, and processes for the connection to be seamless.
*   Storing and indexing data calls for reconfiguration for security. 
*   Muncipilatites must leverage modern technologies to support data sharing across departments.
*   Cybersecurity is a necessity and data contains confidential information that demands protection. 

On top of this, 52% of state and local government IT/Security professionals agreed their budget hasn’t improved. This could hinder [training on ransomware prevention](https://newsroom.ibm.com/2020-02-27-IBM-Survey-Only-38-of-State-and-Local-Government-Employees-Trained-on-Ransomware-Prevention "newsroom.ibm.com/").

## What Regulations Constitute State and Local Cybersecurity? 

The EU implements the [General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)](https://gdpr.eu/what-is-gdpr/ "gdpr.eu"), a data privacy and security law that provides regulations for organizations worldwide to control cybersecurity. Some states have begun implementing cybersecurity mandates on their own. Following this, the U.S. is starting to catch up with statewide mandates such as the [California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)](https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa "oag.ca.gov"). The act provides guidance for California businesses and organizations, mostly to protect consumers and let them have greater control over their personal information and what businesses can take advantage of. 

Additionally, the [2018 California Civil Code on Security of Connected Devices](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB327 "leginfo.legislature.ca.gov") places a new requirement on manufacturers. On January 1, 2020, manufacturers began following these guidelines. IoT devices are now sold with the right security features to protect data and privileged information. The code will reduce "unauthorized access, use, adaption, disclosure, or destruction."

The New York City chief technology officer issued the New York City Internet of Things. It defines IoT safety and security practices. The new order creates processes to evaluate city technology. ICMA's “Cybersecurity Considerations to Implement IoT,” also gives recommendations for improvement.’”

The Committee on Homeland Security wants to introduce [The State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act](https://homeland.house.gov/imo/media/doc/State%20and%20Local%20Cyber%20Act%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf "homeland.house.gov"). The proposal stems from fears that the federal government is slow to cybersecurity. Stretched state and local budgets and current defenses cannot stand against foreign hackers.

The act develops "a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant program." Advocates plan to tackle cybersecurity risks for state and local governments.

A National League of Cities report, “[State and Local Partnerships for Cybersecurity](https://www.nlc.org/wp-contenthttps://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/2020/04/SML_2020Report_web-1.pdf "www.nlc.org"),” believes in a collaborative approach. Cities and states can strengthen national cybersecurity infrastructure together. 

Currently, “Delaware is the only state that offers voluntary statewide cybersecurity training for state non-executive and local government employees.” Out of the 50 U.S. states, only 16 mandate cybersecurity training. Nine states lack cybersecurity training programs completely. 

Organizations are fighting to unify and structure the inconsistencies among states.

## How to Secure Critical Local and Government Data 

Beyond firewalls and antivirus software, a simple and inexpensive (compared to ransomware costs) solution is keeping backup images and copies of data. In this way, governments will have another layer of protection in case of ineffective cybersecurity. 

Security is central to software design at Macrium. Our applications give you complete control over where your data is stored and will operate fully offline for the most secure, air-tight networks.

Macrium Software provides extensive backup imaging for this reason. Check out our website to learn about installing effective backups to prevent data loss at [Macrium.com](https://www.macrium.com/ "macrium.com").


State and local governments are vulnerable to cybercriminal activity as “they collect, process, store, and transmit vast amounts of sensitive data.” The wrong hands can weaponize and misuse data. In 2020, hackers carried out 79 individual ransomware attacks against U.S. government organizations. It cost downtime and recovery of nearly $18.88 billion. Clearly, ransomware is pervasive. The attack suspended “municipal operations, ultimately disrupting infrastructure services for 911 systems, utilities, and payment platforms with state and local governments.” 

State and Local Government Cybersecurity Risks

Here in the northern hemisphere, summer has rolled round again, bringing record temperatures across Europe and North America with it. While a cold shower or an icecream might be enough to cool us down, things aren’t so simple for the devices that we trust to store our data. Have you ever wondered why data centres are so cold? The answer is slightly more complex than “to keep the IT people cool”.

We all know that excess heat is bad for our devices. You may have even seen pictures or videos of competitive overclockers using liquid nitrogen to stop their CPUs overheating, and if you haven’t: [tomshardware has got you covered](https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/how-to-competitive-overclocking-overclocker-tips,5636.html "tomshardware.com"). However, proper cooling isn’t just important for CPUs, it is also important for storage devices.

First, it can be beneficial to define what is a good temperature for a storage device. Although the exact numbers will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, some basic outlines are

Solid State Drive (SSD) - 0 °C to 60°C (32°F to 140°F)

Hard Disk Drive (HDD) - 0ºC up to 70ºC (32ºF to 158ºF)

For more information you should read the manufacturer’s specification. This example is from a [Samsung 870 EVO](https://www.samsung.com/uk/memory-storage/sata-ssd/870-evo-1tb-sata-3-2-5-ssd-mz-77e1t0b-eu/ "samsung.com"):

![20220725-why-you-should-keep-your-data-cool-this-summer.png](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/20220725_why_you_should_keep_your_data_cool_this_summer_1f814025b5.png)

What happens if the temperature of the drives rise above this? Well, basically, nothing good. Many modern devices are smart enough to monitor their own temperature via their firmware. If temperatures reach a certain level, they may throttle their own performance to prevent further overheating. Whilst this is good as it prevents the drive from further overheating and potentially damaging components, this may also lead to reduced performance including reduced I/O performance. This [large-scale case study](https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~omutlu/pub/flash-memory-failures-in-the-field-at-facebook_sigmetrics15.pdf "users.ece.cmu.edu") of flash memory failure in the field at Facebook’s datacentres notes:

_“Higher temperatures lead to increased failure rates, but do so most noticeably for SSDs that do not employ throttling techniques.”_

Not only have they noticed a correlation between shorter flash storage lifespan with higher temperature, but drives that don’t implement performance throttling at higher temperatures had noticeably shorter lifespans than their counterparts that do.

In [this whitepaper](https://aiot.innodisk.com/wp-contenthttps://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/2020/07/Achieving-Extensive-Data-Retention-in-High-Temperature-AIoT-Applications-1.pdf "aiot.innodisk.com"), innodisk also draw a correlation between temperature and a decrease in data retention. 

_“Data retention decreases in higher temperatures and with increasing program/erase (P/E) cycles as both these factors induce a higher rate of charge leakage.”_

Charge leakage occurs when the dielectric barrier designed to trap a charge in the flash cell degrades, if the dielectric degrades too much, the cell can no longer hold a charge and thus can’t be programmed. For more information about the structure of NAND flash cells, I recommend reading [this blog post](/how-do-ssds-work#:~:text=SSDs%20are%20fundamentally%20made%20up,SSD%20and%20the%20host%20interface. "macrium.com"). Higher temperatures mean that charged particles in the flash cell move more, further eroding the dielectric layer. 

As for HDDs, [in this article by Backblaze](https://www.backblaze.com/blog/hard-drive-temperature-does-it-matter/ "backblaze.com") they indicate that in their datacentre there was no significant correlation between drive temperature and drive failure rate. In their ‘Hard Drive Temperature Takeaways’ they state:

_“As long as you run drives well within their allowed range of operating temperatures, keeping them cooler doesn’t matter.”_

However, this leaves a lot of room for speculation if the HDD exceeds the operating temperature, something that might not be that difficult as temperatures spike globally, and the average user does not have datacentre cooling to rely on.

The good news, however, is that there are steps we can take to help our storage devices out. Most methods to keep data cool may seem like common sense: from keeping devices away from direct sunlight, placing the device in an area with good air circulation, to avoiding heavy workloads in high temperatures and turning the device off when not in use; there are a lot of things we can do to reduce the temperature of our devices.

On the very hottest days, if you can’t keep your storage cool, just turn it off; that’s what Google and Oracle do.

[https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62202125](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62202125 "bbc.com")

Keeping devices as cool as possible will not only prevent potential damage from overheating but many also improve data retention.


Here in the northern hemisphere, summer has rolled round again, bringing record temperatures across Europe and North America with it. While a cold shower or an icecream might be enough to cool us down, things aren’t so simple for the devices that we trust to store our data. Have you ever wondered why data centres are so cold? The answer is slightly more complex than “to keep the IT people cool”.

Why you should keep your data cool this summer

company

# Macrium Software one of UK’s Best Workplaces in Tech™

[Manchester, UK] The 2023 UK’s Best Workplaces in Tech™ list has been launched by Great Place To Work® UK, recognising Macrium Software among the list of organisations in the Small and Medium category.

Macrium Software’s employees anonymously reported that innovation and collaboration within the business make the company a great place to work.

> “The company culture is extremely friendly, I always feel comfortable going to my colleagues for help. Hard work is definitely recognised and management appreciates the extra effort that's made. I have felt extremely welcomed when working with different departments and have always been given help and resources when needed. It's a really nice feeling to enjoy working and knowing that I can ask for help if it is needed!”

An employee survey comment

## Great Place To Work® UK - Best Workplaces in Tech™️ list 

Now in its sixth year, the Best Workplaces in Tech™️ list celebrates companies adept at developing dynamic, collaborative cultures that serve as a catalyst for innovation and personal growth for all.
Great Place To Work® UK administered its research-backed Trust Index© employee survey and analysed the responses of UK-based tech employees to determine the Best Workplaces™ list.  

The surveys asked employees to comment on how their company supports their work-life balance, sense of fulfilment, job satisfaction, psychological safety and financial security. 

Evaluations also included an assessment of how well the organisation was able to deliver consistency of employee experience across all departments and seniority levels. 

Macrium Software is one of just five businesses in the North West to make the 2023 list in the category. The business also received Great Place to Work’s certification and featured on its .. lists earlier in 2023. 

## People are “Our Greatest Asset”

Macrium Software’s CEO, Nick Sills, said:

> “At Macrium Software, we recognise that our people are our greatest asset. We take great pride in fostering a supportive and positive working environment, where each individual can thrive and reach their full potential. We believe that by investing in our employees' professional and personal development, we can achieve the highest levels of success and innovation as a company. As a team, we are dedicated to creating a culture that values collaboration, creativity and mutual respect and we are committed to providing our employees with the resources they need to excel both in and outside of the workplace.”

## Keeping People “At the Heart of the Business”

Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place To Work® UK said:

> “The Best Workplaces in Tech™️ list is created using the anonymous feedback collected from employees within the technology industry about their workplace experience. In one of the country’s fastest-growing industries, it’s fantastic to see these Tech organisations putting their people strategy at the heart of the business and implementing policies, practices and programmes that sustain an impactful and consistently great employee experience for all. A huge congratulations to Macrium Software for making one of our most prestigious lists.”

---ENDS---

### About Macrium Software 

Macrium Software is the industry leader in image-based backup and recovery software. We’re a vital part of digital security and business continuity plans for enterprise businesses, SMBs, and IT professionals across all industries and sectors. In a world where data is the most valuable resource, we've made it our business to protect yours. 

[www.macrium.com](https://www.macrium.com/)

Follow Macrium Software online: [Twitter](https://twitter.com/macrium), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/paramount-software-uk-limited), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/macrium/), and [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/macrium/)

© 2023. Paramount Software UK Limited. Macrium Reflect® is a registered trademark of Paramount Software UK Limited. 

### About Great Place To Work®

Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, on a mission to make every company a great workplace for all. Every year, they receive direct feedback from over 10 million workers around the world telling us how they really feel about their employer. 

Their survey is completely confidential and anonymous, so people can feel comfortable to be honest about their workplace, and companies can gain detailed insights into how they can better serve their people.

Only those employers who have the highest levels of trust, job satisfaction, and who empower ALL their employees to thrive both in and outside of work are awarded official Best Workplaces™ recognition.

For more information, visit [www.greatplacetowork.co.uk](https://www.greatplacetowork.co.uk/)

Macrium Software has been named as one of the UK's Best Workplaces in Tech™ by Great Place To Work®, the global authority on workplace culture.

Macrium Software one of UK’s Best Workplaces in Tech™

cybersecurity

windows-backup

macrium

disaster-recovery

# Introducing Macrium Site Manager 8.1

We’re pleased to announce that we’ve made a series of improvements to Macrium Site Manager. The latest version, Site Manager 8.1, will be available for you to use from Wednesday 14th June 2023. This update improves the user experience and includes integrations for seamless use alongside other products.

## How do I Upgrade to Macrium Site Manager 8.1?
You’ll be able to update Site Manager from Wednesday 14th June 2023. When you log in, you’ll see a notice explaining some steps you need to take before doing so. Please note - The change is not automatic. You will need to actively opt into the update by clicking the button presented to you after login.

## What’s New With Macrium Site Manager 8.1?
Here is a breakdown of the improvements we’ve made since version 8.0.

### Speed Improvements
Macrium Site Manager 8.1 includes all Reflect 8.1 changes, including speed improvements.

### Macrium Boot Media Agent
- There’s now an automatic connection to the Macrium Site Manager server. This allows server-initiated restores and full monitoring and control of all rescue media-based operations.
- You can now restrict access to rescue media to specific users or groups using the permission management systems in Macrium Site Manager, including full active directory integration.
- Auto-repository mapping reduces time to manually restore backups using Macrium Site Manager rescue media. This removes the need for the user to manually map a repository and provide server paths, username and password (for logged-in users).
### Macrium SiteDeploy Integration
- Add license keys and start trials from the improved first-run wizard for both Macrium Site Manager and Macrium SiteDeploy.
### Simplify Disaster Recovery
- For disaster recovery from rescue media, computers can automatically be identified and backups for that computer can be listed directly in the Macrium Reflect restore interface, with no manual steps required.
### Improved Interface
- Improved computers page which gives you better visibility of repository usage and easier access to backups.
- Improved intuitive rules for partition selection makes partition selection easier than ever.
- The Macrium Site Manager initiated restore wizard has been updated to make the process of restoring a computer simpler and faster.
### Post-Backup Power-Saving Options
- Better management of out-of-hours backups, with added ability to shut down, reboot or suspend computers after backup completion. This is especially the case when combined with the existing Wake-on-Lan features in Site Manager.
Find out more about the upgrades in Macrium Site Manager 8.1 in our [video demonstration](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQRHp36T4fQ) and access the [release notes here](https://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/MSM8/Release+Notes). 

We hope you enjoy exploring the benefits Site Manager 8.1 has to offer and encourage you to [share your thoughts](https://www.macrium.com/contact) and feedback to assist with our continual improvement programme.

The latest version of our sitewide backup system, Macrium Site Manager 8.1, is now available for you to use. Here's the improvements we've made.

Introducing Macrium Site Manager 8.1

infosec

The retail industry is not exempt from cyberattacks. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed shopping from in-store to online. However, our overall reliance on digital technology has transformed retail. Cyberattacks cost retailers millions of dollars in ransomware prices. With today’s digitally focused business environment, investing in cybersecurity is a top priority.

Let’s review the current state of cybersecurity in retail and how preparation can save this sector from corrupt hackers.  

## How Is Retail a Target for Cyberattacks?

A main driving force for why cyber attackers target the retail industry is customer information. Credit card payments and personal information are highly advantageous to cybercriminals. Storing online data to re-enter shopping accounts is risky if there is not proper cybersecurity established. 

![1406759_Retail-Graphic-1-1_080122.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/1406759_Retail_Graphic_1_1_080122_4cd6d06fba.jpg)

IT Pro published an article about [why retail is ranking in cyberattacks](https://www.itpro.com/security/cyber-security/360747/why-retailers-are-the-most-targeted-sector-for-cyber-attacks "itpro.com"). Criminals who have access to customer databases “can send phishing emails pretending to be a legitimate business.” At this time, they can “ask for personal details, send malicious links, or include malware that can wreak havoc on a customer’s PC.” 

The article also signifies this risk is not exclusive to online shopping. The Internet of Things (IoT) is practicable in today’s business environment. Physical objects integrate with technology to be more available and adaptable. IoT devices in the retail industry include point of sales (PoS) systems and security cameras. As they incorporate technology features, there is more access for hackers. Malware-infected PoS systems are a threat to the private information of businesses and customers.

Progressive technology gives cyber attackers multiple points of entry. The retail industry can avoid costly repairs and preserve the image of its business. For either online shopping or in-person, establishing basic cybersecurity protocols is a preventative defense. 

[The Consumer Goods Forum](https://www.theconsumergoodsforum.com/global-learning-mechanism-resources/cyber-attacks-the-increasing-risk-for-retail/ "theconsumergoodsforum.com") reports that “retail is more vulnerable to cyberattacks due to the nature of its online traffic and the design of its e-commerce websites.” Phones, stored customer data such as payments and personally-identifying information, and online shopping convenience make enforcing cybersecurity a challenge.

User-friendliness is a conflict. Retailers worry that “robust security measures can make the purchasing process seem time consuming and difficult, driving customers to abandon purchases.” If a customer-focused retail approach overshadows security measures, hackers will continue to plague retail industries. This is one obstacle the retail industry encounters when balancing between security and customer satisfaction. 

However, retailers who have not yet experienced cyberattacks or are unaware of current threats will soon realize that it’s not one of the other. Cybersecurity plays a considerable role in the authority, trustworthiness, and reliability of a company. In the worst cases, customers will leave a company when their personal security is at risk. 

![1406766_Retail-Graphic-2-1_080122.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/1406766_Retail_Graphic_2_1_080122_770d7c7acb.jpg)

## Aftermath of Ransomware on the Retail Industry

Beyond the first sting of a cyberattack hit, there are other consequences that ruin a business. [Retail Touchpoints](https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/blog/cybersecurity-data-privacy-and-esg-highlight-risk-trends-for-retail-and-consumer-markets "retailtouchpoints.com") lists five impacts regulations and investigations have on retail companies:

*   Financial exposure
*   Reputational risk
*   Limited options given the optics of litigating against the government
*   Time and resource-intensive
*   Business disruption

These impacts are critical for retail businesses to see that there are not only financial losses, “but also the potential for brand damage and loss of data.” The article shares two types of data: customer-related and intellectual property linked to confidential business operations. 

Online shopping opens the doors for us to purchase global goods and services. The U.S. economic regulations don’t always agree with those in Spain or the Netherlands. Cybersecurity practices from one country to another can lead to gaps in cyber safety across the marketplace. Along with the changing landscape of how technology is distributed and used in retail, it can be hard to keep up and maintain standardized cybersecurity. 

![1406779_Retail-Graphic-3-1_080222.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/1406779_Retail_Graphic_3_1_080222_efe22548db.jpg)

## What Are the Responses for Ransomware and Encryption in Retail?

[The Sophos’ State of Ransomware in Retail 2021](https://assets.sophos.com/X24WTUEQ/at/8c5hfmh8h8w3sh72b8v65hr/sophos-state-of-ransomware-retail-2021-wp.pdf "assets.sophos.com") (PDF) surveyed “5,400 IT managers across 30 countries [with] 435 respondents from [the] retail sector.” The key findings from the survey showed: 

*   Ransomware hit 44% of retail organizations in 2021
*   Cybercriminals encrypted 54% of organizations’ data after a ransomware attack
*   32% of businesses paid the ransom after their data was encrypted
*   On average, ransom payments cost US$147,811
*   Most often, only 67% of data is recovered when businesses pay the ransom
*   The average bill to resolve a ransomware attack is US$1.97 million for retailers who must factor in lost opportunity, downtime, network cost, device cost, ransom paid, and people time
*   For retailers who went through encryption, 56% use backups to restore data
*   Compared to the global average, the retail industry isn’t as equipped with encryption prevention: 34% vs 39%
*   The global average for cyberattack preparation is 82%, while the retail industry is only 78% 
*   50% of retail respondents who don’t believe they will be attacked are relying on strategies proven ineffective from ransomware
*   13% of participants do not have any concerns about ransomware

![1406785_Retail-Graphic-4-1_080222.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/1406785_Retail_Graphic_4_1_080222_d32fed45ed.jpg)

Among the recommendations Sophos provides the retail industry, they suggest making backups. In the line of defense, backup is a crucial aspect. They point to the downfall of losing data, regardless of paying the ransom. As there is rarely a full data recovery from cyberattacks, having backups is reassuring. 

Firewalls may fail and cybercriminals are becoming far more advanced than existing infrastructure security. Even with layers of cybersecurity protection, once a hack occurs, backups can redeem stolen data. They may eliminate the need to pay the ransomware.

The report also referenced the “3-2-1” backup plan. Companies should have three separate copies, two types of backups, and one offline and offsite copy that cyberattackers can’t reach.

Security is central to software design at Macrium. Our applications give you complete control over where your data is stored and will operate fully offline for the most secure, air-tight networks.

Macrium Software is a backup and image recovery solution. Along with other malware plans and protection software, backups are valuable ways to keep data despite malicious cyber activity. Check out our website to learn about installing effective backups to prevent data loss at [Macrium.com](https://www.macrium.com "macrium.com/8-home").

20220801-the-retail-industry-and-cybersecurity-risks.png

The retail industry is not exempt from cyberattacks. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed shopping from in-store to online. However, our overall reliance on digital technology has transformed retail. Cyberattacks cost retailers millions of dollars in ransomware prices. With today’s digitally focused business environment, investing in cybersecurity is a top priority.

The Retail Industry and Cybersecurity Risks

Macrium Software Great Place To Work Tech Sept 2023

Macrium-Software-Great-Place-To-Work-Tech-Sept-2023-1200x630.jpg

# What is a Sysadmin? Celebrating the Quiet Heroes of IT

Today is system administrator (sysadmin) [appreciation day](https://sysadminday.com/). As a company operating in the tech industry, we want to stop and highlight the crucial, but often underappreciated, work of these professionals that keep our computers and servers alive, our people in communication and organisations around the world in business.

In this blog post, we will delve into the world of sysadmins, explore their roles and the traits that make them successful. For those curious about a career in this field, we’ll also provide insights into how to get ahead in the profession.

## What Does a Sysadmin Do?

Sysadmins are so ubiquitous and manage so many tasks that it’d be easier to ask, “what don’t they do?” But here are some of the responsibilities their roles may cover on a daily basis. 

![Macrium-Software-Sysadmin-Day-Graphic-LinkedIn-Twitter-1200x627-July-2023-01.jpg](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/Macrium_Software_Sysadmin_Day_Graphic_Linked_In_Twitter_1200x627_July_2023_01_60939b1463.jpg)

### Build Machines

A fundamental task of a sysadmin is building and configuring machines that meet their business’ specific needs. This includes setting up workstations, servers and other hardware components, ensuring they function optimally to support the company’s operations.

### Data Security

Data security is crucial in today's digital landscape. Sysadmins play a critical role in implementing and maintaining security measures to safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access, data breaches and cyber threats.

### Virus Protection

Protecting systems from viruses and malware is an ongoing battle. Sysadmins are responsible for installing and managing antivirus software, conducting regular scans and promptly responding to any security threats that may arise.

### Write Code

Automation is key to improving efficiency. Sysadmins often write code or use scripting languages to automate repetitive tasks, manage configurations and streamline a business’ processes.

### Keep Users Connected

Sysadmins are the bridge between technology and end users. They provide technical support, troubleshoot issues and ensure that users can connect and collaborate seamlessly.

### Maintain Servers

Maintaining servers is a core responsibility of sysadmins. They monitor server performance, address hardware and software issues and ensure that critical systems operate smoothly.

### Configure Servers

Sysadmins also configure servers, which involves setting up user accounts, managing permissions and optimizing server performance.

### Update Servers

Keeping software and operating systems updated is vital to their security and performance. Sysadmins are responsible for applying patches and updates to servers and other systems to ensure they remain secure and efficient.

## What Traits Do You Need to Be a Successful Sysadmin?

Being a sysadmin requires a unique set of traits that go beyond technical skills. Successful sysadmins possess a combination of technical expertise and personal qualities that allow them to excel in their roles. Essential traits a sysadmin needs include the following. 

### Clear Communication

Effective communication is essential for sysadmins, as they often need to explain technical concepts to non-technical users. Clear and concise communication helps them provide instructions, troubleshoot issues and collaborate across teams.

### Responsiveness

In the fast-paced world of IT, being responsive to user requests and technical issues couldn’t be more important. A successful sysadmin promptly addresses problems and ensures minimal downtime to keep business operations running smoothly.

### Curiosity

Curiosity drives sysadmins to continuously learn and explore new technologies. Staying curious enables them to adapt to the ever-changing IT landscape and find innovative solutions to complex problems.

### Problem Solving

Sysadmins are natural problem solvers. They possess the ability to analyze issues, identify root causes and implement effective solutions to resolve technical challenges as quickly and painlessly as possible.

### Proactiveness

Being proactive is essential for Sysadmins. It allows them to anticipate potential problems and address them before they escalate. Proactive sysadmins implement preventive measures and monitor systems to prevent issues from occurring in the first place.

### Patience

Technical issues are frustrating and sysadmins often encounter complex problems that require patience and time to solve. Patience and persistence are essential traits for a sysadmin, equipping them to work through challenges methodically and solve problems - both for users and themselves.

## How Can I Become a Sysadmin?

If the role of a system administrator has your attention, there are various skills you can build and paths you can take to embark on a career in this much-demanded area.

- **Education and Training:** Pursue a degree or certification in computer science, IT or a related field. Formal education provides a strong foundation in IT principles and concepts.
- **Gain Technical Experience:** Obtain hands-on experience with computer systems, networks and operating systems. Internships, volunteer work, or personal projects can help you build practical skills.
- **Develop Problem-Solving Skills:** Nurture your problem-solving skills by tackling technical challenges and finding creative, independent solutions to common challenges.
- **Learn Scripting and Automation:** Automation is a key aspect of sysadmin work. Familiarize yourself with scripting languages like [Python](https://www.python.org/), [PowerShell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerShell) or [Bash](https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/bash-scripting-tutorial-linux-shell-script-and-command-line-for-beginners/). 
- **Networking and Collaboration:** Join IT groups, network within communities, attend industry events and connect with professionals in the field to expand your network and learn from experienced sysadmins.
- **Certifications:** Consider completing industry recognized certifications like [CompTIA](https://www.comptia.org/) [Network+](https://www.comptia.org/certifications/network) etc. These certifications validate your skills, catch the attention of recruiters and ultimately, make you more attractive to employers.
- **Stay Updated:** Keep yourself informed about the latest trends and developments in IT by reading [tech blogs](https://techworldtimes.com/top-technology-blogs/), attending webinars, listening to [podcasts](https://explodingtopics.com/blog/tech-podcasts) and exploring online resources.

## Happy Sysadmin Day - Explore Our Open Roles

We hope this blog shows our appreciation for sysadmins everywhere - thank you for all you do! If you’re looking for a career in IT, we invite you to explore our open roles - take a look and apply [here](https://www.macrium.com/careers-and-culture). 

Macrium-Software-Sysadmin-Day-Blog-Hero-July-2023.jpg

Join us in celebrating sysadmin day as we highlight the quiet heroes of IT,  what it is they do and what it takes to become a successful sysadmin. 

What is a Sysadmin? | Macrium Software 

# Macrium Software Launches Deployment Product with Potential to Save IT Professionals “Days of Work”

MANCHESTER, UK (17th May 2023)  - [Macrium Software](https://www.macrium.com), the industry leader in image-based backup and recovery software, has announced the launch of Macrium SiteDeploy®, a new product with the potential to save IT professionals days of work on Windows operating system (OS) deployment. 

In a digitally transforming world, the need for organizations to access and restore their devices remotely and at scale, whether PCs, laptops, thin clients or servers, is only becoming greater. 

Macrium SiteDeploy® is designed to reduce the number of manual steps performed during the deployment process. This can significantly cut complexity and reduce deployment time, potentially saving IT teams days of work*. 

For example, deploying 100 Windows PCs using Macrium SiteDeploy® with Microsoft Sysprep answer file injection could equate to a time saving of 16 hours, or two working days, compared to the manual processes widely used in the industry. This could free up time, resources and budget for businesses to focus on strategic priorities and innovation.

“Despite how crucial and ubiquitous it is across all organizations and industries, creating and deploying images remains a headache for IT professionals,” explained Nick Sills, CEO of Macrium Software. 

“A  full deployment process can involve many manual steps. This means it often takes significantly longer than projected, costing businesses time and money. On the other hand, much of the software on the market to automate deployment includes convoluted features. These are often unnecessary and can get very expensive, very quickly.”

Imaging and deployment are required in many scenarios across most businesses and organizations. It enables multiple or large numbers of endpoints - e.g., computers, servers or thin clients, to be built or restored to a set state. This standardizes OSs, so apps, software and security settings run consistently across devices. It also reduces the time and resources needed and offers greater control over configuring and managing IT infrastructure. 

### Cutting complexity 

A common challenge with imaging and deployment is how complicated the deployment process can become. One of the causes of this is the need for businesses to deploy to different types of hardware. Using Macrium’s proprietary software ReDeploy and Driver Harvesting, Macrium SiteDeploy® can alleviate this by ensuring deployments work across disparate hardware. Macrium SiteDeploy® also automates partition resizing, taking away yet another step often performed manually by IT admins.

Its intuitive dashboard empowers users to deploy, monitor and manage large volumes of endpoints from one place. Offering greater control over system and process management, Macrium SiteDeploy® also allows IT admins to organize images and repositories using custom tags, even at scale.

### Faster deployment 

Another key aim behind the development of Macrium SiteDeploy® is to cut the time deployment takes. With a built-in Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) and the ability to inject templated answer files for Microsoft Sysprep, Macrium SiteDeploy® can save hours in setup time. The answer file allows admins to reduce manual configuration and bypass the out-of-box experience with preconfigured admin accounts and active directory settings.

The launch of Macrium SiteDeploy® comes following a two-month beta testing program. The response from early adopters, who ranged from Sysadmins at SMEs and large businesses to PC build technicians and IT professionals in healthcare and education, has been “overwhelmingly positive”, continued Sills.
“Feedback from our first wave of users includes that Macrium SiteDeploy® saved them significant amounts of time and would remove the need for specialized training. Several are eager to adopt it in the long-term and believe they can easily make a business case to do so,” he continued. “This bears testimony to the exciting potential Macrium SiteDeploy® holds for a diverse range of businesses and organizations.”

“We are proud to bring Macrium SiteDeploy® to the market and look forward to seeing the tangible benefits it will bring to our new and existing customers.”

As businesses prioritize digital transformation and work to scale up their remote operations, the global OS imaging and deployment software market is projected to grow by 14% between 2022 and 2030⁺. 

## [Request A Demo](https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/1PXyODNMKQVSw5TJHWSmPgQfz1ls)

To learn more about Macrium SiteDeploy®, please visit: [https://www.macrium.com/products/business/technicians/sitedeploy ](/products/business/technicians/sitedeploy)

*During testing carried out by Macrium Software, manually completing admin tasks after a new image was deployed to a PC took an average of nine minutes and twenty five seconds. Macrium SiteDeploy® enables the user to bypass this process. Test results available on demand.

⁺Global OS Imaging & Deployment Software Market Segmentation, Regional Research Reports. Source: [https://express-press-release.net/news/2022/11/04/1286789](https://express-press-release.net/news/2022/11/04/1286789) 

—ENDS—

**About Macrium Software**
Macrium Software is the industry leader in image based backup and recovery software. We’re a vital part of digital security and business continuity plans for enterprise businesses, SMBs and IT professionals across all industries and sectors. In a world where data is the most valuable resource, we've made it our business to protect yours. www.macrium.com 


© 2023. Paramount Software UK Limited. Macrium Reflect® and Macrium SiteDeploy® are registered trademarks of Paramount Software UK Limited.

**Sales Enquiries:**
Stephen Macpherson 
Director and Senior Vice President, Global Sales, Macrium Software
Email: [stephen.macpherson@macrium.com](mailto:stephen.macpherson@macrium.com)

**Media Enquiries:**
[marketing@macrium.com](mailto:marketing@macrium.com)

1672658_SiteDeploy-Promotional Images_1200x627_Op1_063023.jpg

MANCHESTER, UK (17th May 2023)  - Macrium Software, the industry leader in image-based backup and recovery software, has announced the launch of Macrium SiteDeploy®, a new product with the potential to save IT professionals days of work on Windows operating system (OS) deployment. 

Macrium Software Launches Deployment Product with Potential to Save IT Professionals “Days of Work”

Macrium-Site-Manager-8-1-Upgrade-Announcement-Blog-Post-Banner-1000px-500px-June-2023.jpg

# How to Create Strong Passwords and Remember Them

Passwords are like door keys. We rarely think about them until we lose them, or worry someone else could have them. 

Considering how heavily we rely on passwords to access the apps, accounts and devices we need to even get off the ground in the morning, it’s surprising how little thought we put into them. 

And this isn’t only true of the general population. “Even people who’d consider themselves security conscious in the physical world can leave their digital twins exposed online,” explains [Professor Daniel Dresner](https://events.manchester.ac.uk/event/event:ctq-k1m4j1j0-cod3jy/fse-inaugural-lecture-series-department-of-computer-science-prof-daniel-dresner "events.manchester.ac.uk - Professor Daniel Dresner"), Professor of Cyber Security at the University of Manchester. 

“Using passwords is a flawed system. And as cyber criminals adopt technologies such as machine learning, passwords are likely to become obsolete."

“But until something better comes along, it’s a good idea to level up your password game.”

## Why are We so Bad at Creating Secure Passwords?

News articles about password mistakes and cyber security attacks are a dime a dozen. We’re saturated with warnings that if we don’t change our passwords, someone will clear out our bank accounts and sell everything we own on the dark web. 

“Much of this is sensationalism with a side order of fear, uncertainty and doubt,” Dresner adds. 

“However, as too many things we want to access online rely on passwords, it's still a very good idea to be careful out there.”

Despite daily stories of data breaches and the accompanying finger-wagging, [more than two thirds of people](https://www.techradar.com/news/exclusive-most-people-still-make-up-their-own-passwords-and-reuse-them "techradar.com") use the same password across multiple accounts.

So, with a stream of security and password-related advice coming at us, why aren’t we listening?

## Remember, Remember…

“It’s often about memory,” Dresner continues. “Anyone is capable of  creating a strong password on the spot. But remembering it when we need it is a different story.” 

“So many websites demand mental algorithms from us. They make remembering the combination of letters, numbers and special characters so far from what we might be comfortable with.” 

“This causes us to downgrade our attempts to create a secure password. So instead, we end up creating one that’s guessable.”

“And if we can guess it, you can be sure the criminals’ software will be able to as well.”

## My Passwords are Probably Fine, Right?

Another trap many of us fall into is assuming hackers won’t target us individually. [Around one third of people](https://www.techradar.com/news/exclusive-most-people-still-make-up-their-own-passwords-and-reuse-them "techradar.com") don’t feel that they’re in danger of being hacked. 

Surely a hacker wouldn’t concern themselves with one account when they could go after big businesses and hold them to ransom instead? Right? Wrong!

## What do Cybercriminals do with Stolen Passwords?

Cyber criminals can do significant damage once they’ve accessed your account. Some of their motivations include, but aren’t limited to, the following.

### To Steal your Money

 A cyber criminal could guess the password to one of your accounts which holds payment information. From there, they can perform an account takeover. This involves changing your password, locking you out and using your payment details for their own ends. This is also a key part of identity theft.  

### To Steal your Identity

To many people, identity theft sounds like a far-fetched concept that only happens in movies. On the contrary, it’s surprisingly common and up there with credit card fraud as one of the top motivations behind cyber crime. Duplicating someone’s identity can be done with minimal data. Email addresses, bank accounts or credit cards may be opened with basic details such as a name, address and date of birth. Criminals can then use this to access money or benefits in your name. This could damage your credit score and your chances of gaining approval for mortgages or other forms of credit.

### To Target your Friends or Employers

Spear phishing, or carefully targeted attacks, see cyber criminals break into your accounts and gather details on the people you know or the company you work for. They can then use this to pose as you and solicit more information from their targets. One click on a malicious link or a seemingly innocent comment could give a criminal all they need to compromise a friend, a loved-one or an entire business.

## What Can you do to Mitigate Risk?

To mark [World Password Day,](https://www.nicybersecuritycentre.gov.uk/world-password-day "nicybersecuritycentre.gov.uk") we partnered with [Professor Dresner](https://events.manchester.ac.uk/event/event:ctq-k1m4j1j0-cod3jy/fse-inaugural-lecture-series-department-of-computer-science-prof-daniel-dresner "Professor Dresner") to offer tips on how to create strong passwords you’re more likely to remember.

## How to Create Strong Passwords and Remember Them

*   **Don’t complicate it** - We all know the advice to create passwords with combinations of special characters, upper and lower case letters and numbers, etc. Thankfully, this is no longer considered best practice. Instead, the National Cyber Security Centre recommends using [the ‘three random words’ method](https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/the-logic-behind-three-random-words "www.ncsc.gov.uk"). A password comprising random words unrelated to you or your life is likely harder to crack and easier to remember. Whether a website’s password complexity requirements will allow you to do this is another story, explains Professor Dresner. “Don’t blame the customers and employees. Blame the people who expect us to use systems that are not only unintuitive but actively deny us the opportunity to follow the science of good passwords.”
*   **Adopt a password creation convention** - Echoing the three random words method, adopting  a convention could help you create secure and memorable passwords. Examples include the [Bruce Schneier method](https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2014/03/choosing_secure_1.html "schneier.com"), or the [person-action-object (PAO) memory method](https://artofmemory.com/blog/pao-system/ "artofmemory.com"). 
*   **Consider using a password manager** - Uptake of password managers was initially slow, but they are becoming increasingly popular as they prove their worth. They work by storing multiple usernames and passwords in one place and pre-populating the fields on a login screen. They can also generate and store random passwords for you. Examples include [Keeper Security](https://www.keepersecurity.com/ "keepersecurity.com"), [Dashlane](https://www.dashlane.com/ "dashlane.com"), [1Password](https://1password.com/ "1password.com") and [Nord Pass](https://nordpass.com/ "nordpass.com").
*   **Two-factor and multifactor authentication** - While many people see extra steps to login as inconvenient, data shows that it can significantly boost security. [According to Microsoft](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-entra-azure-ad-blog/your-pa-word-doesn-t-matter/ba-p/731984 "techcommunity.microsoft.com"), your account is more than 99.9% less likely to be compromised if you use multi-factor authentication. Many websites give you the option of switching this on or off when you register. You also don’t have to use it every time you log in. Typically it kicks in again after periods of inactivity or when logging in using a new device. 

## Great Password Resources

Taking the above on board will definitely improve your password security. But twinning this with ongoing awareness is even better. 

Here are some great tools for keeping password security front-of-mind in the long-term. 

*   Find out if your data has been breached and in which major incidents at [Have I been Pwned?](https://haveibeenpwned.com/ "haveibeenpwned.com")
*   Hold yourself accountable for password security by taking the [Password Pledge](https://www.nicybersecuritycentre.gov.uk/world-password-day#toc-0 "nicybersecuritycentre.gov.uk") and spreading the word by sharing.
*   For IT professionals and system owners, the National Cyber Security Centre offers [this excellent guide](https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/passwords "ncsc.gov.uk") to creating password strategies.

## Perfect Your Backup Plan

If this post has got you wondering how you can better protect your most valuable data, from documents and music libraries to photographs and PDFs, download a free trial of Macrium Reflect [for home users here](/products/home "Macrium Reflect Home") and [business users here](/products/business/standalone/workstation "Macrium Reflect Workstation"). 

![A headshot of Professor Daniel Dresner of the University of Manchester, wearing a dark green suit, bowtie and glasses.](https://strapistoragemacrium.blob.core.windows.net/strapi-uploads/uploads/professor_daniel_dresner_a0f9690081.png)

## About Professor Daniel Dresner

Daniel is the first Professor of Cyber Security at [the University of Manchester](https://www.manchester.ac.uk/ "manchester.ac.uk"), which he joined after 22 years with The National Computing Centre. He takes a diverse community-based approach to cyber security and runs exercises to help people learn how to cope with the risk of online harms. 

He is a founder of the [IASME Consortium](https://iasme.co.uk/about/ "iasme.co.uk"), where he applied his work in standards development to champion cyber security for SMEs. 

He is a vocal advocate of the local cyber ecosystem and furthers the opportunities cyber security offers innovation and growth as part of the [Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry](https://gmcyberfoundry.ac.uk/ "gmcyberfoundry.ac.uk") and the [DiSH – Digital Security Hub](https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/digital/global-digital-influencer/greater-manchester-cyber-ecosystem/greater-manchester-digital-security-hub-dish/ "greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk") in Manchester City Centre.

Daniel has regularly lectured about risk and cyber defence to cohorts from India and the Western Balkans at the [Defence Academy of the United Kingdom](https://www.da.mod.uk/ "da.mod.uk") for the Chevening Programme. Daniel also revived The Ratio Club thought leadership group for cybernetics – which included Alan Turing – as part of his research work promoting the balance between people and technology.

He contributes to books and conferences and appears on the BBC explaining cyber security to the wider community. He is a Fellow and Founder member of the [Chartered Institute of Information Security](https://www.ciisec.org/ "ciisec.org"). Daniel was voted one of the top 20 cyber security influencers worldwide 2018-2021 and Best Educator at the [Security Serious Awards 2022](https://www.securityserious.com/ "securityserious.com").

[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-dresner-fciis-6382381/ "linkedin.com")    [Twitter](https://twitter.com/DanielGDresner "twitter.com")



Macrium-Blog-World-Password-Day-2023-Graphic-5000px.png

Using passwords is a flawed system. But until something better comes along, it’s a good idea to level up your password game. To mark World Password Day, we chatted with Manchester professor Danny Dresner FCIIS to bring you practical tips on creating secure and memorable passwords.

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