Object First-Sponsored Omdia Research: 93% of Technology Leaders Say Absolutely Immutable Backup Storage Is Critical for Ransomware Protection, But Only 16% Have It

New study finds recovery outcomes are worsening as organizations face an immutability gap in backup storage environments

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Object First, the ransomware-proof on-premises backup storage company, today published a commissioned study conducted by analyst firm Omdia that found 83% of organizations have fallen victim to a successful ransomware attack in the last 24 months. The results also show that it’s harder to recover from attacks: only 39% of organizations recovered at least 75% of their data after an attack, down from the 57% in 2024.

The survey reinforces that outages from ransomware are no longer a matter of “if,” but “when,” and that organizations are increasingly prioritizing provable recovery from absolutely immutable backup storage as the ultimate defense. According to Omdia, “Absolute Immutability means that no one can modify or delete backup data, not even the most privileged admin at an organization or an attacker with access to all IT secrets.” 93% of leaders surveyed consider Absolute Immutability as a critical backup storage requirement, yet only 16% say their current backup storage environment meets this standard, suggesting an “immutability gap” is putting organizations at increased risk.

Key Research Findings

• Technology leaders are losing ground to ransomware attackers: 83% of organizations fell victim to a successful ransomware attack in the last 24 months, up from 66% in 2024. Of those attacked, 75% experienced multiple service interruptions.
• Data recoverability is declining: Only 39% recovered at least 75% of their data after an attack, down from 57% in 2024. 76% reported their largest data loss event exceeded their Recovery Point Objective (RPO) targets.
• It’s taking longer to restore operations: 39% maintained a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of five days or less, down from 49% in 2024. 64% experienced an outage that exceeded their RTO targets.
• Absolute Immutability is essential for effective recovery: 83% view backup storage as the last line of defense against ransomware, and 93% want backup storage with Absolute Immutability, but only 16% said their backup storage meets that standard.
• Vendor claims require independent proof: 89% say vendor claims of immutability cannot be taken at face value and require third-party validation before they can be trusted.
• Line-of-Business and C-Suite executives want business resilience: 73% of line-of-business leaders and executives view backups with Absolute Immutability as a requirement for an effective enterprise resilience strategy.

”Ransomware can lead to a business continuity crisis, and the data shows that many organizations fall short when it comes to reliable recovery,” said Simon Robinson, Principal Analyst, Omdia. “While most technology leaders recognize the importance of immutable backups, the research points to a clear gap between perceived immutability and Absolute Immutability. Closing that gap is essential for organizations that need confidence their backup data will remain recoverable when attacks occur.”

“When ransomware strikes, recovery can’t depend on backups that can still be altered, deleted, or compromised,” said David Bennett, CEO, Object First. “Omdia’s research reinforces what we hear from our customers every day: absolutely immutable backup storage is the last line of defense against ransomware. Organizations need confidence that even if attackers gain access to IT credentials or compromise production systems, their backup data remains protected and recoverable.”

Read the Omdia report, “Recovery Without Compromise, The Data-Backed Case for Backup Storage with Absolute Immutability,” here.

On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, join Simon Robinson, Principal Analyst, Omdia, and Anthony Cusimano, Chief Evangelist and Senior Director of Solutions Marketing, Object First, to learn why closing the immutability gap is critical to recovering from and limiting the impact of ransomware attacks. Register for the Americas and EMEA webinars.

About the Study

Omdia surveyed 700 respondents at organizations in the US, UK, Ireland, France, and the DACH region with 1,000–9,999 employees between February 26–March 25, 2026. Respondents included 500 IT decision makers influential in cybersecurity, data center infrastructure, and BC/DR purchasing, plus 200 line-of-business leaders (director level and above) familiar with their organizations' BC/DR and cybersecurity policies.

Additional Resources

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About Object First

Object First’s on-premises backup storage with Absolute Immutability is the ultimate ransomware defense. Secure, simple, and powerful, we enable Veeam® Software customers to be simply resilient against the risk of cyberthreats. To learn more, visit www.objectfirst.com, follow the blog, and connect on LinkedIn and Instagram.

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