Simple definition
Object Lock is an object-storage feature that prevents protected objects from being deleted or modified during a defined retention period.
Technical definition
The mechanism provides WORM-style immutability. Depending on the platform, retention can be applied by default or per object, with governance or compliance modes and, in some implementations, a legal hold.
How it works / role
Once an object or version is under retention, the storage service rejects deletion or retention-reduction operations that are not permitted by the selected mode. Backup software can continue writing new objects without altering protected versions.
What is it used for?
Add an immutable layer to backups and reduce the impact of ransomware or accidental administrative deletion.
Practical example
An S3 backup repository retains each backup object for 30 days with Object Lock. Even a compromised account cannot delete versions that are still protected by the configured retention policy.
Common issues
- Retention period is too short or unnecessarily long
- The bucket or repository was created without required immutability settings
- Permissions conflict with the intended governance model
- Storage consumption grows because objects cannot be purged before retention expires
Key takeaway: Object Lock protects objects according to a retention policy; validate the immutability model and permissions before relying on it for ransomware protection.