In addition to the new threat monitoring and detection capabilities, the Nutanix stack now features more granular data replication and robust access controls.

They combine with other Nutanix services to help prevent, detect and recover against ransomware attacks across multiple cloud environments [PDF].

Anomaly detection is based on machine learning and IP reputation services from Nutanix Flow Security Central, which helps identify known attack vectors at the network level before they reach the application and data layers.

Nutanix Files now includes native ransomware detection. It works by detecting abnormal and suspicious access patterns and identifying known ransomware signatures so that access can be blocked in real-time.

It also identifies file shares where replication and snapshots have not been configured appropriately and alerts IT administrators.

Nutanix Files' immutable snapshots provide a way to recover from ransomware attacks that do get through, and recovery is accelerated via native snapshot capabilities when enabled on file shares.

Nutanix Objects now includes more granular permissions, including the ability to configure write once read many (WORM) policies for selected files and objects, as well as bucket level permissions to better secure multi-tenant environments.

Nutanix now supports Microsoft Windows Credential Guard for virtual machines and virtual desktops running on the AHV hypervisor to reduce the risk of privilege escalation by ransomware.

The Nutanix Mine secondary storage system now provides – in conjunction with products from HYCU – direct backup to Nutanix Objects, providing protections including immutability and WORM.

Mine has also gained new interoperability qualifications with other vendors' offerings, such as Veeam Object Immutability.

"CIOs and CISOs know that there is no one solution that provides 100% protection against ransomware or other types of malware attacks, and the current remote and hybrid work models widen an enterprise’s attack surface," said Nutanix CTO Rajiv Mirani.

"Enterprises need a defence in depth approach to security, starting with their IT infrastructure. However, the right security tools need to also be simple and seamless to implement. Nutanix delivers a strengthened cloud platform out of the box, with an even richer set of ransomware protections available now."