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Macrium Image Guardian Overview

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Macrium Image Guardian protects your backup files from unauthorised modification.

MIG grants write access to existing backups file for Macrium Reflect, any image tools created by us, and optionally, MS RoboCopy. All other process attempting to update existing backup files will be denied access.

MIG protects local NTFS, ReFS and exFAT volumes and allows Macrium Reflect to use the protected volume as a shared network resource.

Macrium Image Guardian protection architecture



Macrium Image Guardian protecting backups in a networked environment




In the above illustration, the PC sharing the backup repository (Shared Volume) has a full install of Macrium Reflect, including MIG. A local drive is shared over the network and MIG has been enabled on that drive in the Macrium Reflect user interface.

The other PC’s on the network can backup to this shared drive and do not require MIG to be installed. Backup file write access is automatically granted to Macrium Reflect 7.1, and later, write access for earlier versions of Macrium Reflect and other processes will fail. 

The PC hosting the share with MIG installed can be used as a standalone Macrium Reflect installation. The protected drive will prevent unauthorised access to backup files on that drive if the local PC creates backups to the protected volume.


Protected File Access

Macrium Image Guardian will protect all existing local backup files from unauthorised modification or deletion. All such activity will be blocked with error 0x80070510 - Storage policy block


Protected File Types

The following file extensions are protected by Macrium Image Guardian.

ExtensionBackup Type
.mrimg Macrium Reflect image files
.mrbakMacrium Reflect File and Folder backup files
.mrexMacrium Reflect Exchange backup files
.mrsql*Macrium reflect SQL backup files
*Note: SQL backup files can only be created to a protect volume by Macrium Reflect running on the local PC. Network write access will be blocked for all processes, including Macrium Reflect. This limitation will be removed in a future update.

 

Windows File operations on Macrium Backup files

Macrium Image Guardian will block opening of backup files for modification or delete, The following lists some of the operations and special considerations if you are maintaining the location and life of Macrium backup files outside of Macrium Reflect.

  1. Windows Explorer Copy. New backup files can be created on a protected volume as the result of a Windows Explorer copy operation. 

    Copying a file to the same folder as the original will be blocked on local file systems. Duplicate files in the same folder is undesirable and should be avoided. The identity of the backup file will be duplicated and this can lead to unpredictable results in Macrium Reflect.   

  2. DOS Commands. COPY, MOVE, and XCOPY.  These commands will succeed where the result of the operation is a new file. Overwriting or deleting existing backup files files will fail.

  3. RoboCopy. RoboCopy.exe can copy, move and synchronise folders.  For more information on RoboCopy parameters please see here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc733145(v=ws.11).aspx

    Some RoboCopy parameters may perform delete file and overwrite operatons on your backup files and have special functionality in MIG if the 'Allow RoboCopy to sync and move backup files on protected volumes' option is enabled: 


    ParameterRule
    /MOVE
    /MOV

    If the source folder is on a protected volume then the /MOVE /MOV parameters will only delete backup files in the source folder if the destination folder is also on a protected volume.

    This ensures that existing files cannot be moved to an unprotected volume and compromised.
    /MIR
    /PURGE

    If the target folder is on a protected volume then the the /MIR  /PURGE parameters will only delete backup files in the target folder if both of the following conditions are true:

    1. The source folder is a backup destination in any saved backup definition xml file.
    2. The target folder is not a backup destination in any saved backup defintion xml file

    This ensures that the synchronisation operation cannot inadvertently, or otherwise, delete files in a folder that is used as a backup destination in Macrium Reflect.

    All overwrite operationsIf the result of any parameter is to overwrite an existing backup file on a protected volume then this will only be allowed if the target folder is not a backup destination in any saved backup definition xml file.

    RoboCopy and Network Shares

    If the source of a /MOVE /MOV or target of a /MIR /PURGE operation is a MIG protected volume on a network share then all delete operations are blocked. This is because RoboCopy 'Rules' can only be applied if the Windows session that's opening the files is the same Windows session that's running RoboCopy. In the case of a network share, the remote computer is opening the files and will block all delete operations.






Installing Macrium Image Guardian

MIG is an optional component in the Macrium Reflect installer, It is selected by default and is available for Windows 7 and above in all editions of Macrium Reflect except for the Free Edition. 



After installation, if MIG has automatically protected any local back drives for existing backup definitions then the following message box is displayed the first time Macrium Reflect is started:


Activating Macrium Image Guardian

MIG is active directly after installation and will automatically protect backup destination drives.

To turn MIG on, off, or temporarily disable take the Other Tasks menu, then select the Macrium Image Guardian Settings... menu option. 

You can also activate the MIG Settings dialog by clicking Settings in the MIG blocked activity popup.



The MIG Settings dialog

Turn on Image GuardianStarts the Image Guardian Service
Automatically protect local backup drives

When turned on, all saved backup definitions are searched and Image Guardian is enabled for local backup drives

When creating a new backup, unprotected target drives will be automatically protected by enabling Image Guardian on the drive.

When the PC is restarted, Image Guardian will be re-enabled on all backup drives. This prevents accidentally leaving your drives unprotected by manually turning protection off.

Allow RoboCopy to sync and move backup files on protected volumes

Enables the MS utility RoboCopy to delete and overwrite backup files on protected volumes with the /MOV, /MOVE, /PURGE and /MIR parameters.

ParameterRule
/MOVE
/MOV

If the source folder is on a protected volume then the /MOVE /MOV parameters will only delete backup files in the source folder if the destination folder is also on a protected volume.

This ensures that existing files cannot be moved to an unprotected volume and compromised.
/MIR
/PURGE

If the target folder is on a protected volume then the the /MIR  /PURGE parameters will only delete backup files in the target folder if both of the following conditions are true:

  1. The source folder is a backup destination in any saved backup definition xml file.
  2. The target folder is not a backup destination in any saved backup defintion xml file

This ensures that the synchronisation operation cannot inadvertently, or otherwise, delete files in a folder that is used as a backup destination in Macrium Reflect.

All overwrite operationsIf the result of any parameter is to overwrite an existing backup file on a protected volume then this will only be allowed if the target folder is not a backup destination in any saved backup definition xml file.

RoboCopy and Network Shares

If the source of a /MOVE /MOV or target of a /MIR /PURGE operation is a MIG protected volume on a network share then all delete operations are blocked. This is because RoboCopy 'Rules' can only be applied if the Windows session that's opening the files is the same Windows session that's running RoboCopy. In the case of a network share, the remote computer is opening the files and will block all delete operations.




Turn off Image Guardian

Turns off the Image Guardian service. Optionally select from the list of further options:

1 Minute to 2 HoursSelect to temporarily disable MIG for the selected time
Restart service on rebootMIG will remain 'Off' until the next Windows reboot.
Permanently OffWhen 'Turn off Image Guardian' is selected, 'Permanently Off' is the defaulted option if MIG is currently enabled and nothing is selected in the 'More Options...' list. Otherwise, selecting this option will cancel any temporary disable settings and turn off MIG.
Note: Clicking 'Apply' will immediately change MIG and update the status text:.



The status area above the buttons shows the current status of MIG.  

Clicking 'Re-Enable' will immediately cancel the outstanding temporary disable and turn MIG 'On'.



Macrium Image Guardian Events

To view Image Guardian windows events, take the Other Tasks menu, then select Macrium Image Guardian Settings... menu option and select the Events tab:



Number

Event NameSeverityDescription

100

EVT_MIG_SERVICE_STARTEDInformationalImage Guardian service started
110EVT_MIG_DRIVER_STARTED_BY_SERVICEInformationalImage Guardian driver started by service
200EVT_MIG_SERVICE_STOPPEDInformationalImage Guardian service stopped
300EVT_MIG_VOLUME_PROTECTEDInformationalVolume (\\?\Volume{6a2d53fe-c79a-11e1-b189-806e6f6e6963}\) is protected
310EVT_MIG_BLOCK_VERIFICATION_FILE_ACCESSInformationalBlocking process (processname.exe) creating verification file as the process is not Macrium certified
320EVT_MIG_BLOCKED_FILE_ACCESSWarningBlocked unauthorised process (processname.exe) accessing file (\\?\Volume{6a2d53fe-c79a-11e1-b189-806e6f6e6963}\Folder\filename.mrimg)
330EVT_MIG_USER_PROTECTED_VOLUMEInformationalUser has enabled Image Guardian on volume (\\?\Volume{6a2d53fe-c79a-11e1-b189-806e6f6e6963}\)
340EVT_MIG_USER_DISABLED_VOLUMEInformationalUser has disabled Image Guardian on volume (\\?\Volume{6a2d53fe-c79a-11e1-b189-806e6f6e6963}\)
500EVT_MIG_ERROR_BAD_EVENTErrorError could not open Image Guardian verification event. Error code = 123
510EVT_MIG_ERROR_PROTECTING_VOLUMEErrorError protecting volume (\\?\Volume{6a2d53fe-c79a-11e1-b189-806e6f6e6963}\). Error code = 123
520EVT_MIG_ERROR_UNPROTECTING_VOLUMEErrorError unprotecting volume (\\?\Volume{6a2d53fe-c79a-11e1-b189-806e6f6e6963}\). Error code = 123
When an unauthorized process attempts to write to, delete, or rename a Macrium backup file the action will be blocked and Windows Event 320 will be generated


Enabling and Disabling MIG on NTFS Volumes

MIG can be enabled or disabled on any NTFS volume by using the Actions menu in the Macrium Reflect main window.

A MIG shield indicates that a volume is protected:

Automatic Protection

Please note that if the option to 'Automatically protect local backup drives' is selected in the MIG settings dialog, then unprotected volumes will be automatically protected when the next backup runs to the volume, or on reboot, if the volume contains the path of a backup destination saved in a backup definition. 


 

 

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