Definition

Air gapping means isolating one backup copy from direct access through the production network. An attacker who has compromised that network cannot reach, encrypt or delete the isolated copy. It is the offline "1" in the 3-2-1-1 rule.

Physical and software air gaps

  • Physical air gap: a copy on disconnected media, such as offline tape or an unplugged disk. This method is secure, but recovery is slower, handling is manual and scaling it is difficult.
  • Software air gap: software or the file system enforces the isolation. The copy is never exposed through a write or administration path available to the attacker, and no media has to be moved by hand.

The Oxibox approach: a software air gap built into the file system

Oxibox Backup Guardian (OBG) is a software-air-gapped file system. Restore points are validated through an append-only write path, with a retention floor that can only be extended. They cannot be overwritten, encrypted or deleted, even from a compromised administration console. Behavioural analysis examines every write as an additional layer of defence. This provides the protection of an air gap without the logistics of offline media, while keeping recovery immediately available.

Oxibox always refers to a software air gap, never a physical one. There is no tape or cable to disconnect. The storage design provides the isolation.