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While it may seem that the Covid-19 pandemic has finally begun to dwindle in parts of the world, we are yet to fully bounce back to the way things were before. Such is the case that only a small amount of organizations have entirely gone back to working from the office, and McKinsey & Company notes that as much as 52% of employees around the world anticipate a post-pandemic flexible work schedule from their employer.
This pandemic-driven shift has forced many organizations into looking at new methods for effective collaboration between their employees and customers, especially when it comes to filing transfers and communication of sensitive information.
The internal and external file share is common practice within organizations as it supports employees’ daily work activities and takes place either from their allocated work device or from personal mobile devices. But this means that potential cybersecurity incidents and data breaches are more likely to happen and a study by Stanford University found that roughly around 88% of data breaches were a result of human error. Thus, to properly support a work-from-home policy and cater to globally changing work dynamics, organizations must ensure that they are providing their employees with appropriate and secure equipment and infrastructure.
There are different ways to achieve this, whether it is through the implementation of a cloud-based file sharing service, via P2P sharing networks, or through an enterprise file share solution. But before we get into which file-sharing service is the most optimal choice, we’ll need to briefly understand the difference between secure file sharing and enterprise secure file sharing.
Secure file sharing involves sending files in digital form in a manner that prevents an sunauthorized user from accessing the shared data. Sharing documents securely is especially important when businesses need to ensure that sensitive information can only be accessed by a small group of people who have a legitimate interest in this information.
On the other hand, enterprise file sharing usually involves a service provider or platform which enables businesses to securely share files and send important information to employees and clients alike. This enables complete control over the data and files sent while facilitating collaboration among colleagues.
To safeguard sensitive data properly and efficiently and securely share files and folders, it is essential to select an appropriate type of file sharing system as each system has its own unique set of security features.
Here are five of the most important tips to keep in mind when choosing the right solution for your organization:
When looking into enterprise file sharing systems, one of the most important security features to keep in mind is data encryption. Data encryption essentially serves the purpose of using a unique algorithm which in turn makes sensitive information unreadable. Data encryption makes sure that only computers or authorized users can access the deciphered versions of files. By doing this, the perpetrator of a security breach will only be able to access the file's encrypted version and thus will not be able to gather any sensitive data from it. This is fairly common practice among organizations that deal with and store any cardholder data, and for added data protection and data security, have implemented encryption methods that comply with PCI DSS requirements.
Ensure that the file sharing system has the option to set appropriate controls and truly limit the audience for certain files, especially those containing sensitive information. Access can be restricted based on the employee’s position at the organization while additional measures such as password-protected files and multi-factor authentication can also ensure that sensitive information is only accessible to certain users. Moreover, actions that a user can take on files can also be limited especially regarding editing, copying, and downloading.
Audit logs are essential to give organizations a complete outlook to determine precisely how users and administrators within their organization are dealing with sensitive information and better understand secure file transfer activity. As an example, audit logs can show the activity of a user’s account and indicate any failed login attempts. This helps system administrators stay vigilant in case of potential cybersecurity threats and incidents. Additionally, a comprehensive audit report feature should be available in an enterprise file sharing solution as this can help improve understanding of any data movements and file transfers that are being done.
Different collaboration apps such as Microsoft Teams, Flock, and Slack provide employees with a quick and efficient way to share files. However, these tools come with certain security risks, from exposing sensitive data to becoming a victim of ransomware. An enterprise file sharing solution should have sufficient controls in place which can prevent users from doing ‘as they please’, such as preventing users from uploading files unless this has been previously approved.
When you decide on the appropriate solution for your organization, it is extremely important to raise awareness of file sharing and appropriate measures taken through the provision of training. Regular training promotes the importance of security risks within the organization, as do properly implemented file-sharing policies which need to be properly communicated to employees.
While there are many already existing enterprise file-sharing solutions on the market, not all can handle the security levels that are expected in this day and age. No matter which file transfer platform you are using, the Sealit solution can be easily integrated with your existing collaboration systems, providing you seamless communication and efficiency and ensuring higher security within your business.