MyDefender: First Steps

With MyDefender, you can back up and restore Windows and Mac computers, Android smartphones or tablets, as well as iPhones, iPads and iPods. Backups that you can create include the following:

Backups of Windows/macOS Computers:

• Full backups

• Drives

• Volumes

• Folders

• Files

• System states

Mobile Devices:

• Contacts

• Photos

• Videos

• Calendar

• Text messages (Android devices only)

• Reminders (iOS devices only)

You can manage MyDefender easily and conveniently.

• Log in to IONOS.

• If you have both MyDefender and a server contract, click on the Server & Cloud tile. If necessary, select the desired MyDefender contract. 
  
  If you only have MyDefender but no server, simply click on the MyDefender tile. 
  
  The Backup Console opens and the Add Device window appears.

Once you are in the Backup Console, you will be able to perform the following actions:

• You can add computers, smartphones, or tablets that you want to protect. You can also create protection plans, manage your backups, and restore backups in this section.
• Download Cyber Protection Agent: Cyber Protection Agent is software that is required to create backups of your servers. This software must be installed on the servers being secured. The Cyber Protection Agent can be downloaded from the Backup Console.

To back up computers running Microsoft Windows and macOS, you need to install the Acronis Cyber Protection Agent on these devices. If you want to back up iPhones, iPads, or Android smartphones or tablets, you need to install the Acronis Cyber Protect mobile app on these devices.

To download and install the Cyber Protection Agent, follow these steps:

Registering the First Device and Downloading the Cyber Protection Agent or Acronis Cyber Protect app

If you have not yet registered a device in the Backup Console, follow these steps:

• Log in to IONOS with the device on which you want to install the Cyber Protection Agent or Acronis Cyber Protect app.

• If you have both MyDefender and a server contract, click on the Server & Cloud tile. If necessary, select the desired MyDefender contract. 
  
  If you only have MyDefender but no server, simply click on the MyDefender tile. 
  
  The Backup Console opens and the Add Device window appears.

• To add a computer running Windows or macOS, click Files or Entire Machine. To add a mobile device, click Mobile Devices.

• If you click on Files or Entire Machine, the next step is to select the desired operating system. The installation file for the Cyber ​​Protection Agent will then be downloaded.
  
  If you click on mobile devices, you will be redirected to the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iOS) after selecting the operating system. You can then download the Acronis Cyber ​​Protect app.

Registering Another Device and Downloading the Cyber ​​Protection Agent or the Acronis Cyber ​​Protect App

If you have already registered a device in the backup console, do the following:

• Log in to IONOS with the device on which you want to install the Cyber ​​Protection Agent or the Acronis Cyber ​​Protect app .

• If you have both MyDefender and a server contract, click on the Server & Cloud tile. If necessary, select the desired MyDefender contract. 
  
  If you only have MyDefender but no server, simply click on the MyDefender tile. 
  
  The Backup Console opens.

• Click on Devices > All devices. 

• Click Add.

• Select the desired device.

• If you select a Windows or Mac device, the installation file is then downloaded. If you select iOS, you will be redirected to the Apple Store. You can then install the Acronis Cyber Backup app. When you select Android, Google Play opens. You can install the Acronis Cyber Backup app via the Google Play Store.

Instructions on how to install the Cyber Protection Agent for Windows and Mac can be found here:

Installing the Agents

After you have installed the Cyber Protection Agent on your Windows/macOS computers, you can set up a backup schedule in the Backup Console. The backup schedule is required to create regular, reoccurring backups.

To create a protection plan:

• Open the Backup Console.

• Click in the Devices > All devices section on the gear symbol next to the desired computer.

• Click Protection.

• If you have not yet created a protection plan, the settings for the new protection plan will open automatically. If you have already created a protection plan, click Create Plan to create a new one.

• Define the settings for your backups in the Backup area.
  
  Backup source: In this section, you specify what should be backed up.
  
  Entire machine: If you select this option, all drives, including partitioning, will be backed up. An entire system can be restored with this backup.
  
  Drives/Volumes: If you select the Drives/Volumes option, individual or multiple drives/volumes that you have specified are backed up.
  
  Data: If you select the Files/Folders option, only certain files / folders that you have specified will be backed up.
  
  System status: If you select the System State option, the full system state of the server is backed up. A system state is the state of the server that is backed up at a specific point in time. This complete data backup includes such things as the operating system, the system configuration, applications, application data and databases.
  
  Backup destination: Defines where the backups should be saved. The backup destination cannot be configured.
  
  Planning: In this section, you define the schedule for your backups. To edit this, click on the interval. You can then specify the desired interval and the desired start conditions.
  
  Retention period: Determine how long you want your backups to be kept before they are deleted. To change the preset retention period, click on the set interval. Then select the desired interval and define when the backup should be carried out. If you select the hourly interval, you can also specify minute intervals.
  
  If the intervals are very short, a backup process may take longer than the set interval. If a backup cannot be started because a previous backup process is still running, the backup will be placed in a queue. The backup will start as soon as the previous backup process is finished or stopped. In this case, you will receive a warning that the backup could not be carried out as planned. 
  
  If you choose the period monthly, you can specify the desired months as well as the desired days of the month and the desired weekdays.
  
  Encryption: This setting cannot be changed for an existing protection plan. Create a new protection plan if you want to use different encryption settings. The password cannot be reset. If you lose your password, you will no longer be able to access your backed up backups.
  
  Application backup: An application backup is a drive backup in which the metadata of the applications are also saved. With this metadata, you can browse and restore that data without having to restore the entire drive.

• Click on Antivirus & Antimalware Protection. With the Antivirus & Antimalware Protection module, you can secure computers running Microsoft Windows and macOS operating systems against malware threats and cryptomining malware. The Antivirus & Antimalware Protection module is supported by and registered in the Windows Security Centre.

• Configure the Antivirus & Antimalware Protection module.
  
  Active Protection: Active Protection monitors the processes running on the protected computer or the protected virtual machine in real time against ransomware and cryptomining malware. If an external process tries to encrypt files on the machine or to calculate a digital crypto currency, Active Protection generates an alarm message and, if necessary, carries out further actions, provided these have been specified beforehand via a corresponding configuration. The Restore from cache option is set by default. With this setting, the software generates an alarm message, stops the process, and resets the file changes that have been made. 
  
  Network folder protection: With this option, you determine whether network folders should also be protected by the Antivirus & Antimalware Protection module.
  
  Server-side protection: This option protects network folders that you have shared from potential threats over external connections.
  
  Self protection: Self-protection prevents the processes, registry entries, executable files and configuration files of the backup software itself and backups that are stored in local folders from being changed.
  
  Detection of cryptomining processes: This option protects computers and virtual machines from cryptomining malware to prevent unauthorised use of computer resources.
  
  Quarantine: In the Quarantine area, you can specify how long suspicious or potentially dangerous files should be kept in quarantine.
  
  Behavior Engine: The behavior engine protects a system against malware by identifying malicious processes using behavior-based heuristics.
  
  Schedule scan: In the Schedule scan section, you can specify when a quick scan and a full scan of the protected computers and virtual machines should be carried out. You can also define what action should be taken if a suspicious or potentially dangerous file is found.
  
  Exclusions: In the Exclusions section, you can specify processes, files and folders that should not be monitored or checked. 

• Click on Vulnerability assessment: You can use the vulnerability assessment module to scan computers and virtual machines for vulnerabilities. By doing so, you can ensure that all installed applications and the operating systems used are up to date and working correctly. 

• Configure the vulnerability assessment module.
  
  Scope of vulnerability assessment: In this section, you specify which elements are to be checked for weak points. Currently, only Windows machines and Linux machines (CentOS 7/Virtuozzo/Acronis Cyber ​​Infrastucture) can be checked with the vulnerability assessment module. A list of supported products can be found here:
  
  Supported Microsoft and Third-Party Products
  
  Supported Apple and Third-Party Products
  
  Supported Linux Products

  Planning: In this section, you can set a schedule that will be used to check the relevant computers and virtual machines for vulnerabilities at regular intervals.

• Click on Device control.

• Configure the device control module. With the device control module, you can detect and prevent unauthorised access to data on computers and their transmission via local data channels. The device control module can also control access to peripheral devices that are used directly on protected computers or that are redirected to virtualisation environments that host protected computers. This module detects devices that are redirected in Microsoft Remote Desktop Server, in Citrix XenDesktop / XenApp / XenServer or in VMware Horizon. In addition, the device control module can perform data copy actions between the Windows clipboard of a guest operating system (which runs under VMware Workstation, VMware Player, Oracle VM,
  
  Access settings: In this area you define the device types and interfaces that the users are allowed to access. These include, for example, removable data carriers or optical drives. You can also do actions in this area, such as allow or prevent copying and pasting or taking screenshots. 
  
  Allowed list for device types: In this section, you can allow users to access certain device types regardless of the configured device/connection authorisations. Examples of these devices are: input devices, USB scanners, and USB cameras. 
  
  Allowed list for USB devices: In this section, you can allow users to access certain USB devices. For this purpose, you can enter the manufacturer, the product ID and the serial number of the desired device.
  
  Exclusions: In the Exclusions area, you can define processes and program folders that are to be excluded from the access control.

For instructions on how to restore backups, see the following articles:

Restoring Backups

Restoring Backups to an iPhone or iPad

Restoring Backups to an Android Device