Abstract: A first entity stores an issuer digital certificate published by a certificate authority (CA) and signed by the issuer certificate; and also stores an old issuer digital certificate published by the CA prior to publication of the issuer digital certificate and an old first entity digital certificate signed by the old issuer digital certificate. The first entity attempts to initiate a secure communication session with a second entity by receiving a second entity digital certificate from the second entity via an electronic network, and sending either the first entity digital certificate or the old first entity digital certificate to the second entity based on which of the issuer digital certificate or the old issuer digital certificate is effective to authenticate the second entity digital certificate received from the second entity. The secure communication session is conducted only if the attempt to initiate the secure communication session is successful.

Abstract: The Source Volume Backup with Predictive and Lookahead Optimizations Apparatuses, Methods and Systems (“SVBAF”) transforms backup request inputs via SVBAF components into backup response outputs. A set of blocks to be copied from a source volume to a target volume is designated based on predictive optimization settings and copied based on lookahead optimization settings while an operating system is configured to write to the source volume. Blocks of the source volume that were written to by the operating system are identified. A determination is made whether to enter a CoW mode. If the CoW mode should not be entered, the designated set of blocks is changed to include at least one of the identified blocks and a pass is repeated. Otherwise, the operating system is instructed to enter the CoW mode and bring the target volume into a state consistent with a state of the source volume.

Abstract: The Prioritization and Source-Nonspecific Based Virtual Machine Recovery Apparatuses, Methods and Systems (“MBR”) transforms backup configuration request, restore request inputs via MBR components into backup configuration response, restore response outputs. A backup configuration request to configure backups of a data storage volume of a source device is obtained. A paired backup device is determined. A recovery prioritization index is generated by determining a recovery priority ranking for each selected for backup data block of the data storage volume. A discrepancy hash for each selected for backup data block of the data storage volume that is available from at least one of a set of source-nonspecific locations is precalculated. The recovery prioritization index and the discrepancy hashes are periodically updated to account for data block use. Backup data including at least one of the recovery prioritization index and the discrepancy hashes is sent from the source device to the backup device.

Abstract: The Prioritization and Source-Nonspecific Based Virtual Machine Recovery Apparatuses, Methods and Systems (“MBR”) transforms backup configuration request, restore request inputs via MBR components into backup configuration response, restore response outputs. A restore request is obtained. A reestablishing virtual machine is booted. A recovery virtual machine configuration identifying source-nonspecific software is determined. A recovery prioritization index for data blocks of the associated backup disk image is determined. Essential data blocks of the backup disk image are prefetched to build a pseudo abridged virtual machine. User access to the reestablishing virtual machine is provided. A latent virtual machine is created inside the reestablishing virtual machine. Command data blocks are fetched for both the reestablishing virtual machine and the latent virtual machine when a user command is received. Remaining data blocks are fetched for the latent virtual machine in priority order.

Abstract: The Prioritization and Source-Nonspecific Based Virtual Machine Recovery Apparatuses, Methods and Systems (“MBR”) transforms backup configuration request, restore request inputs via MBR components into backup configuration response, restore response outputs. A restore request to build a recovery virtual machine using a backup disk image of a source device stored on a backup device is obtained. A virtual machine recovery environment comprising a guest virtual machine running a guest hypervisor is booted. A recovery virtual machine configuration identifying source-nonspecific software is determined. A recovery prioritization index for data blocks of the backup disk image is determined. Essential data blocks of the backup disk image are prefetched. An operating system of a nested guest abridged virtual machine is booted. Command data blocks are fetched when a user command is received. Remaining data blocks are fetched in priority order.

Abstract: Described methods and systems for copying a source volume to a target volume that include a combination of concurrent copying and a copy-on-write (COW) technique that improves the reliability of the backup process and requires fewer resources during a given backup instance than the processes of the prior art.

Abstract: Ransomware detection and/or isolation and/or remediation of a ransomware-encryption device is performed in a Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) system environment. The RMM system is operatively associated with monitoring and managing a plurality of devices and, according to an exemplary embodiment, the RMM system includes a RMM agent module locally installed on each device, a cloud-based RMM platform operatively communicating with each device RMM agent module, and a Ransomware Detection (RD)/Isolation module locally installed on each device. The RD/Isolation module locally detects a potential ransomware-encryption in one or more files received by the device and the RMM system isolates a ransomware affected device using a locally executed script provided by the cloud-based RMM platform.

Abstract: The Dynamically Determined Difference Regions Apparatuses, Methods and Systems (“DDDR”) transforms backup configuration request, backup data read response inputs via DDDR components into backup configuration response, changed blocks update request outputs. A write command for a data block to write to a data volume is detected. A data volume address of the data block is determined. A superset range associated with the data volume address is determined. Upon determining that the written-to flag of the superset range is set: extend a previously established written-to subset range within the superset range to include the data volume address when it is determined that the data volume address is not within the previously established written-to subset range. Upon determining that the written-to flag is not set: set the written-to flag and establish a new written-to subset range within the superset range that includes the data volume address. Execute the write command.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods and systems for direct-to-cloud backup with local volume failover. According to an exemplary embodiment, first and second logical volumes are designated on a protected computing device. The first and second logical volumes may be paired to a cloud storage facility. In response to a received signal, it may be determined if the protected computing device has a communication connection to the cloud storage facility. If the protected computing device does have a communication connection to the cloud storage facility, a first computing device backup of the first logical volume may be sent to the cloud storage facility. If the protected computing device does not have a communication connection to the cloud storage facility, a second computing device backup of the first logical volume may be performed and stored on the second logical volume of the protected computing device.

Abstract: The User Space Incremental Tracking Apparatuses, Methods and Systems (“USIT”) transforms backup driver installation request, backup data store request inputs via USIT components into backup driver installation response, backup data store response outputs. A new most recent activity entry in a file system journal associated with a data volume is determined by a user space tracking agent. Newly changed files on the data volume are determined by processing journal entries between a previous most recent activity entry, as indicated by a last entry marker, and the new most recent activity entry. Changed data blocks associated with the newly changed files are determined. The changed data blocks are marked as changed in a tracking store. The last entry marker is updated to reflect the new most recent activity entry. Data blocks flagged as changed are sent to a backup device. The sent data blocks are marked as unchanged.

Abstract: A method of generating a reduced address dataset for a geographical area includes receiving a source address dataset for a select geographical area, removing personally identifiable address parameters from detailed address parameters of a plurality of source address datapoints to form a reduced address dataset with a plurality of anonymous address datapoints, and storing the first version of the reduced address dataset. The reduced address dataset is for use by a geographical analytics service provider as a reference address dataset in analyzing target parameters in a target dataset associated with one or more managed service providers to develop geographical distributions of the target parameters. A method of generating a geographical distribution of a target parameter of a target dataset by using the reduced address dataset is also provided. Analytics computer system for generating the reduced dataset and for using the reduced address dataset are also provided.

Abstract: This disclosure and the exemplary embodiments described herein, provide methods and systems for detecting a ransomware infection in one or more files. According to an exemplary embodiment, a low frequency encryption analysis and a high frequency encryption analysis of a plurality of received files is performed to determine if the one or more of the files are encrypted. If a file is encrypted, a watcher is utilized to monitor file events associated with the files for determining if one or more of the files are infected with ransomware.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods and systems for adaptive data retention. According to an embodiment, data backups are acquired from a protected computing device, and stored on a backup computing device. A retention policy is applied to selectively prune the data backups stored on the backup computing device. At least one reliability metric is used to decide to continue pruning according to a nominal schedule or prune according to a less aggressive schedule.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods and systems for adaptive data retention. According to an embodiment, data backups are acquired from a protected computing device, and stored on a backup computing device. A retention policy is applied to selectively prune the data backups stored on the backup computing device. At least one reliability metric is used to decide to continue pruning according to a nominal schedule or prune according to a less aggressive schedule.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods and systems to perform data backups of protected data. According to an embodiment, a nominal backup schedule is received, and a time differential between the nominal backup schedule and a current time metric is determined. If the time differential is greater than a threshold, the backup schedule is modified so that times indicated in the modified backup schedule are at a higher frequency than a frequency of the indicated times of the nominal backup schedule. In another embodiment, if a reliability metric is greater than a corresponding threshold, the backup schedule is modified so that times indicated in the modified backup schedule are at a higher frequency than a frequency of the indicated times of the nominal backup schedule.

Abstract: The Source Volume Backup with Adaptive Finalization Apparatuses, Methods and Systems (“SVBAF”) transforms backup request inputs via SVBAF components into backup response outputs. A set of blocks to be copied from a source volume to a target volume is designated and copied while an operating system is configured to write to the source volume. Blocks of the source volume that were written to by the operating system while the operating system was configured to write to the source volume are identified. Finalization settings are analyzed to determine whether to enter a CoW mode. If the CoW mode should not be entered, the designated set of blocks is changed to include at least one of the identified blocks and a pass is repeated. Otherwise, the operating system is instructed to enter the CoW mode and bring the target volume into a state consistent with a state of the source volume.

Abstract: The Object-Level Metadata-Preserving Cross Heterogeneous Operating Systems Backup And Restore Apparatuses, Methods And Systems (“MPBR”) transforms pairing request, backup request, restore request inputs via MPBR components into pairing response, backup response, restore response outputs. A device pairing request associated with a source share at a source device is obtained. A simulated block device backup volume for the source share is created on a backup device and formatted using a file system driver executable by the backup device's operating system. A backup request associated with the source share is obtained. A connection is established between the backup device and the source device using a file sharing protocol driver configured such that files metadata is presented to the backup device in a compatible metadata format. Files from the source share are synchronized. Changed synchronized files are determined. Metadata associated with the changed files is updated. A snapshot of the volume is generated.

Abstract: The Multiclient Backup Replication Apparatuses, Methods and Systems (“MBR”) transforms pairing request, replication data stream inputs via MBR components into pairing response, replication confirmation outputs. A replication notification for a snapshot of a backup volume at a source node is obtained. A source node named pipe for the snapshot is created. A priority for the snapshot is determined. When appropriate to send the snapshot to a replication target node, snapshot data is read from the source node named pipe and serialized into chunks Chunks associated with the snapshot and other snapshots are multiplexed into a replication data stream and sent to the replication target node via a persistent network connection. The replication data stream is received by the replication target node and chunks associated with the snapshot are deserialized. A replication target node named pipe for the snapshot is created and used to write snapshot data to a replication volume.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at systems and methods for copying a source volume to a target volume. The disclosed systems/methods facilitate copying the source volume to the target volume while an operating system is configured to write to the source volume, while ensuring that the resulting copy in the target volume represents a crash-consistent state of the source volume at a single point in time. According to some embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods reduce the amount of time that the operating system writing to the source volume spends in copy-on-write mode. The disclosed systems/methods can decrease the performance burden on the operating system (e.g., free up processing resources at the operating system for other tasks), while also decreasing the amount of memory required for the copying process.

Abstract: Integrated File Sharing and Synchronization (FSS) and Backup Management and Storage (BMS) in a network appliance deployed behind a firewall and within a private trusted Local Area Network (LAN). The appliance processes backup image files of a LAN server's file system to generate fully constructed backup recovery points for the LAN server. Logical blocks for backup image files and associated recovery points may be stored locally on the appliance and redundantly in a trusted cloud domain, and a hypervisor on the appliance provides virtualization of the LAN server based on backup recovery points. A relay server cluster in the cloud facilitates reliable and secure access to the FSS services by remote client devices beyond the firewall, without changing fire wall rules, by employing HTTPS between remote client devices and the relay server cluster, and Secure Shell (SSH) tunneling between the cluster and the appliance behind the firewall.