--- title: "What is OSS: the Offline Secure Storage | Firevault" description: "What Offline Secure Storage is, and a technical breakdown of why logical air gaps fail at Layer 1 while physical disconnection holds. 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Segmentation, VLANs, firewall rules, retention locks and object lock all operate at Layers 2 to 7 and are administered from a console. A physical air gap removes the electrical path at Layer 1, so the storage holds no address and presents no network interface. One asks software to refuse a connection. The other means there is no connection to refuse." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Why do logical air gaps fail in Layer 1 attacks?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Because every logical control assumes a live physical link and an addressable target. Once an attacker holds domain, hypervisor or storage administrator rights, the isolation policy is theirs to change, and the management plane is usually taken first. Physical disconnection cannot be reconfigured from the network, because the network cannot see the device to reconfigure it." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is immutable storage the same as an air gap?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. Immutability is a retention promise enforced by the platform holding the data. It is strong against accidental deletion and against many ransomware variants, but it is still software policy on a connected system. Offline Secure Storage keeps a copy that was not connected while the estate was compromised, which is a different and complementary guarantee." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is immutable-but-connected storage a substitute for offline vaulting?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. Patterns such as object lock buckets, hardened backup repositories in platforms like Veeam, and array level protected copies such as IBM Safeguarded Copy all keep the data reachable so that jobs can write to it. Retention is configuration administered from a console, and it can be shortened, disabled, redirected or simply outlasted. Offline vaulting with Offline Secure Storage removes the network path itself, so a remote change cannot be delivered at all. Run immutability for fast operational recovery and offline vaulting for the gold copy of last resort." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can ransomware operators defeat immutable backups?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In real incidents attackers with backup or storage administrator rights have weakened immutability before encrypting production, by reducing retention, disabling versioning, revoking keys or substituting the target repository. Long dwell times also allow short retention windows to expire while the intruder is still inside. None of those techniques reach an instance that holds no active network connection." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How is this different from air-gapped systems?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Traditional air-gapped systems rely on software-controlled isolation, network policies, or virtualisation. Offline secure storage uses physical disconnection at the hardware layer. No network interface, no IP address, no exploitable pathway." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I access my data if it is disconnected?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Access is controlled through identity verification and scheduled connection windows. When you need your data, the storage is physically connected for a defined period. Access requires your credentials and MFA verification, and the control path never shares the data path." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can offline storage be hacked remotely?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. Remote hacking requires a network path. Offline secure storage has no network interface, no IP address, and no remote access capability when disconnected. Attackers cannot reach what is not connected." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happens during a ransomware attack?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Ransomware spreads through network connections. Offline secure storage is not accessible to the network during an attack. Your critical data remains untouched because there is no path for the ransomware to reach it." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is this suitable for frequently accessed data?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Offline secure storage is designed for your most critical and sensitive data. Crown jewel assets, succession documents, cryptographic keys, legal evidence. For frequently accessed operational data, traditional secure storage may be more appropriate." } } ] } ] --- Recent Breaches Breaches [2026 PowerSchool 62.4M records ](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com)[2026 DISA Global Solutions 3.3M records ](https://techcrunch.com)[2026 Globe Life 850K records ](https://www.securityweek.com)[2026 Lidl GB Customer contact data ](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/11/lidl-gb-third-party-data-breach)[2026 Asahi Group Production systems disrupted ](https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/asahi-says-cyberattack-disrupted-operations-japan-2025-09-29/)[2026 Kido International 8K records ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c623d7v0e5xo)[2026 Collins Aerospace (RTX) Check-in and boarding disruptio... ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c789e7l1z7po)[2026 Jaguar Land Rover Production and IT systems disru... ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2gx8p3rzeo)[2026 Peter Green Chilled Order and logistics data ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0k7yy8n3g5o)[2026 Adidas UK Customer contact details ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c78jkev1el2o)[2026 PowerSchool 62.4M records ](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com)[2026 DISA Global Solutions 3.3M records ](https://techcrunch.com)[2026 Globe Life 850K records ](https://www.securityweek.com)[2026 Lidl GB Customer contact data ](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jun/11/lidl-gb-third-party-data-breach)[2026 Asahi Group Production systems disrupted ](https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/asahi-says-cyberattack-disrupted-operations-japan-2025-09-29/)[2026 Kido International 8K records ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c623d7v0e5xo)[2026 Collins Aerospace (RTX) Check-in and boarding disruptio... ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c789e7l1z7po)[2026 Jaguar Land Rover Production and IT systems disru... ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2gx8p3rzeo)[2026 Peter Green Chilled Order and logistics data ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0k7yy8n3g5o)[2026 Adidas UK Customer contact details ](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c78jkev1el2o) [View All →](/learn/breaches) [![Firevault - offline secure storage, physically disconnected from the internet](/assets/logo-color-DBVl0KCg.png)](/) Products Solutions [Why OSS](/why-oss) More [Help](/help)[Get started](/get-started) Overview With OSSLogical vs PhysicalImmutable vs OfflineFAQ Why OSS # What Is Offline Secure Storage? A managed platform built on physical hardware, in physical locations, physically stored and physically disconnected. Designed to put you and your data first. Book a demo ![Corridor of offline storage racks inside a Firevault bunker](/assets/hero-square-bunker-B6Y7Qt9r.jpg) 03 With OSS ## Secure by Design, Offline by Default Offline secure storage is not another software layer. It is a fundamental architectural change that removes the attack surface entirely. 01 User or Time-based Access ### Physical Control Offline secure storage puts control back in human hands, not software schedules or permanent network connections. You decide when your data can be accessed, by whom, and for what purpose. - Human-driven decisions - Time-limited access windows - Intentional connection only 02 Layer 1 Physical Air Gap ### Physical Disconnect The storage is physically separated from networks. No internet connection. No IP address waiting to be scanned. No remote attack surface. When disconnected, it is disconnected in the truest sense. - No IP address - No network interface - Layer 1 physical air gap 03 RAID One Hard Drives ### Physical Storage Your data sits on real, dedicated hardware. Actual drives, not abstract cloud volumes or shared infrastructure. This removes the risks that come with multi-tenant platforms and virtualised environments. - Dedicated hardware - No shared infrastructure - Hardware-level encryption 04 Secure Colocation Facilities ### Firevault Bunkers Those drives live in Firevault Bunkers, carefully selected colocation facilities with defined entry rules, identity checks, and audit trails. You know where your data is and how it is protected. - Firevault Bunkers - Identity-verified access - Complete audit trail Secure by Design. Offline by Default. Air gap, defined properly ## Logical air gap or physical air gap The term air gap is used loosely. Most vendor definitions describe logical isolation, which is segmentation and policy applied to a system that remains connected. A physical air gap means the cable is not there. The distinction decides what survives a bad week. Dimension Logical air gap Physical air gap with #OSS Where the control sits Logical air gap Layers 2 to 7. Firewall rules, VLANs, subnets, storage policies and hypervisor configuration. Physical air gap with #OSS Layer 1. The electrical path itself is open or it is not. There is no rule to interpret. Is the target reachable Logical air gap Yes. The system holds an address, answers on an interface and can be discovered and scanned. Physical air gap with #OSS No. When disconnected there is no interface, no address and nothing to enumerate. How it fails Logical air gap Misconfiguration, privilege escalation, stolen administrator credentials, a zero day in the control plane. Physical air gap with #OSS It cannot be reconfigured from the network, because the network cannot see it. Who can change the state Logical air gap Anyone who reaches the management plane, including an attacker holding domain or hypervisor rights. Physical air gap with #OSS An authorised out-of-band command only. The control path never shares the data path. Behaviour under ransomware Logical air gap Immutability and retention locks are policy. Policy lives in software that the attacker is trying to own. Physical air gap with #OSS The copy that matters was not connected while the estate was compromised. What you can evidence Logical air gap A configuration snapshot, which is only as good as the last change nobody reviewed. Physical air gap with #OSS A connection record. Who opened the path, when it opened, when it closed. ### Why logical air gaps fail at Layer 1 #### Segmentation is still a network A VLAN, a separate subnet or a dedicated backup network is still a routed path with an address at the end of it. Segmentation limits who should talk to the target. It does not remove the target. #### The control plane is the prize Logical isolation is administered from a console. Once an attacker holds domain, hypervisor or storage administrator rights, the isolation is theirs to switch off, and it usually goes first. #### Immutability is a software promise Retention locks, worm modes and object lock are enforced by the same platform an intruder is working to control. A promise enforced in code can be revoked in code. #### Layer 1 removes the dependency Every technique above depends on a live physical link. Offline Secure Storage® breaks that link by default and restores it only for an authorised window, so the higher layers have nothing to act on. A logical air gap asks software to refuse a connection. A physical air gap means there is no connection to refuse. Immutability, defined properly ## Immutable but connected, or Firevault offline Immutable storage is a valuable control and it is not a substitute for offline vaulting. Immutability promises that a reachable copy will not change. Offline vaulting means the copy is not reachable at all. The two answer different questions, and serious estates run both. Dimension Immutable but connected Firevault offline with #OSS What the guarantee is Immutable but connected Data cannot be altered or deleted for a retention window. The window is defined, applied and enforced in software. Firevault offline with #OSS Data cannot be reached at all while the instance is offline. There is no interface to send a write, a delete or a retention change to. Network state Immutable but connected Connected. The repository, appliance or bucket holds an address and answers on an interface so that backups can land. Firevault offline with #OSS Physically disconnected at Layer 1 by default. Connected only inside an authorised, logged window. Who can change the state Immutable but connected Anyone who reaches the management plane with sufficient rights, including an attacker holding storage, backup or cloud administrator credentials. Firevault offline with #OSS An authorised out-of-band command only. The control path never shares the data path with production. How it is defeated Immutable but connected Retention shortened or disabled, versioning switched off, keys revoked, new repository substituted, or the attacker simply waits out the lock period. Firevault offline with #OSS Remote techniques do not apply. Defeating it requires physical presence inside a Firevault Bunker with identity verification. Dependency on identity systems Immutable but connected High. Immutability is administered through the same directory, tenancy or console that the intruder is working to control. Firevault offline with #OSS None while offline. The stored copy does not depend on your directory, tenancy or console remaining trustworthy. Where the evidence lives Immutable but connected Usually on the same control plane as the protected data, so the audit record shares the blast radius. Firevault offline with #OSS On a separate management plane. Who opened the path, when it opened and when it closed, held away from the estate. Best role in the estate Immutable but connected Fast operational recovery from deletion, corruption and contained ransomware events. Firevault offline with #OSS The clean gold copy of last resort for the data the organisation cannot lose. ### Why immutability alone is not offline #### A locked copy is still a reachable copy Hardened repositories, WORM appliances and object lock buckets all have to be reachable so that backup jobs can write to them. Reachable means enumerable, addressable and in scope for a remote attacker who already holds credentials. #### The console decides the policy Immutability is configuration. Configuration is administered. An intruder with backup, storage or tenancy administrator rights can alter retention, disable versioning or point jobs at a new target before encryption starts. #### Retention windows expire A lock holds for a fixed period. Dwell times in serious intrusions frequently exceed the retention set on daily and weekly copies, so the clean version ages out while the attacker is still inside. #### Disconnection removes the argument Offline Secure Storage® does not ask software to refuse a change. While the instance is offline there is no path to carry one. Immutability protects a copy you can still reach. Offline vaulting keeps a copy nobody can reach. ### Where each pattern actually sits Vendor terminology varies. These are the common immutability patterns, described from their own documentation, alongside offline vaulting. #### Object lock and WORM buckets Object level retention in cloud object storage prevents overwrite for a set period. It remains a live service endpoint governed by tenancy permissions. [S3 Object Lock documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/userguide/object-lock.html) #### Hardened backup repositories Backup platform patterns such as Veeam's hardened repository apply single-use credentials and immutability flags on a Linux host. The host still sits on the network to receive backups. [Veeam hardened repository](https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backup/vsphere/hardened_repository.html) #### Safeguarded and isolated copies Array level features such as IBM Safeguarded Copy create protected point-in-time copies inside the storage system. Protection is enforced by the array's own control plane. [IBM Safeguarded Copy](https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/flashsystem-9x00/8.7.x?topic=volumes-safeguarded-copy-function) #### Offline Secure Storage® A dedicated instance in a Firevault Bunker with no active network path when idle. Reconnection is an intentional, identity-verified and logged event, never a software permission. [How #OSS works](/offline-secure-storage) Immutable storage promises that a connected copy will not change. Offline Secure Storage® means there is no connection to change it through. See how offline secure storage compares to cloud, NAS, and immutable backup solutions, or explore what types of data should be secured offline. [Compare five storage architectures](/compare/oss-vs-everything)[What should be secured offline?](/what-oss-stores) Questions ## Understanding Offline Security Straight answers on how Offline Secure Storage® behaves in practice. ### What is the difference between a logical air gap and a physical air gap? ### Why do logical air gaps fail in Layer 1 attacks? ### Is immutable storage the same as an air gap? ### Is immutable-but-connected storage a substitute for offline vaulting? ### Can ransomware operators defeat immutable backups? ### How is this different from air-gapped systems? ### How do I access my data if it is disconnected? ### Can offline storage be hacked remotely? ### What happens during a ransomware attack? ### Is this suitable for frequently accessed data? Keep reading ## Explore why Offline Secure Storage® is different The physical foundations, and what physical disconnection means for you. [ The four foundations Why OSS ](/why-oss) [ Physical ownership What OSS stores ](/what-oss-stores) [ Physical control Complete control ](/why-oss#foundations) [ Physical location Built for security ](/why-oss#foundations) [ The technical read Layer 1 disconnection ](/how-oss-works#physical) [ How you reach it Remote access on your terms ](/how-oss-works#session) [ ![The Leaders' Playbook cover](/__l5e/assets-v1/e8c2b388-0083-4aa9-a143-f8c4b11d2db3/leaders-cover.jpg)](/playbook/leaders) Free playbook · Boards & leaders ### The Leaders' Playbook A board-level briefing on sovereign data, succession resilience and physical protection. 28 pages 18 min read Email-gated [Get the playbook](/playbook/leaders) [ ![Close the File. Protect the Record. cover](/__l5e/assets-v1/a563c7e7-cdd3-47c3-8557-57a4d04b97b7/legal-cover.jpg)](/playbook/legal) Free playbook · Legal & records ### Close the File. Protect the Record. 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