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If your company isn’t already implementing best practices to ensure data and communication are shared and stored securely ,there is already an issue. With too many risks related to poor habits relating to secure document sharing, such as using email to send files internally and to clients, many organisations are in danger of being left vulnerable to attack or interception.
At RealTyme, this is why we provide a secure file container where only those who have access can see and collaborate with documents and data. This essential feature removes the need to share via email any confidential documents, where they risk being duplicated on mail servers, making it easier for these to be intercepted by hackers and those looking to take advantage.
Rather than leaving important data to be vulnerable due to the convenience of using email or consumer apps, and potentially being in breach of confidentiality and data protection, following best practices and using smart technology is vital.
How we use and share data in the workplace is extremely important, especially with so much being shared through cloud platforms and file-sharing software. The file-sharing market is expected to reach $9.9 billion by 2023, Box, Google Docs, Microsoft One Drive and many more being used every day by companies thanks to their convenience. Many businesses may even share files using other communication and messaging apps such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger for the same reason.
However, many files shared internally are not kept as private as they should, with a reported 12.8% of shared files being visible to an entire company, and 6.1% shared with personal email accounts. Instances of poor file sharing practices can have much larger consequences and make data easily intercepted. In 2017, a barrister was fined by the ICO for a data breach due to using Dropbox to save sensitive case files that were not encrypted and were publicly visible.
There are many scenarios that secure online file sharing is required that will prevent information from falling into the wrong hands:
· International embassies needing to exchange classified information with central government
· Investment firms collaborating on mergers and acquisitions transactions that cannot be disclosed
· Legal firms or consultants working on new product launches that have to stay confidential
· Sensitive client information shared with external companies that must remain protected from its competitors
· Health and patient PII that is shared between health professionals
The best way for any organisation to avoid data falling into the wrong hands is to follow best practices that ensure files and data can be shared securely. The following are some of the most notable features and practices to follow.
E2EE & MFA – using end-to-end encryption in transit and at rest means any documents can only be decrypted by the intended party. Multi-factor authentication strengthens this further by ensuring a user’s identity is verified. This should be by default.
Strong Passwords – use longer passwords that contain variations of special characters and numbers and are unique to the application. Avoid common phrases or personal information someone can easily guess and use a secure password manager rather than writing this down.
Employee Awareness & Vigilance – ensure employees are fully trained on best practices and using only authorised file sharing platforms. Make it simple for them to get up to speed when using a new platform.
Invite-Only Access – use platforms that ensure only invite access to view files and documents. The document owner can then share only to those intended, rather than a publicly available link.
VPNs – you may have remote workers who use public wi-fi, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Utilising VPNs can ensure web traffic is secure and unable to be intercepted.
When requiring a secure file sharing service for business, the RealTyme platform is designed to ensure not only all communication is private, but all files and data shared when collaborating are treated the same. With privacy by design at its core, businesses using our platform can connect with internal teams with minimal risk.
· Full administrative control over access and data retention
· Secure and private circles where files and data can be shared away from non-authorised users
· Strong mutual authentication and E2EE at transit and rest
· Data at rest encryption where the keys are device-specific
· Public or private cloud, as well as on-premises integration to suit your needs
· Auto-erase data and communication as well as minimal data footprint
If you’d like to discuss how our platform ensures the highest standard of secure document sharing, please talk to sales or request an invite today.
