Today’s digital world demands instant information. That means an ever-increasing amount of important files and data are being sent daily. It also means that secure file sharing has never been more important. As more and more work moves to a digital format, and remote work is on the rise, cyber-criminals are taking advantage of the transition and stealing important data that companies are failing to properly secure in their file servers or even cloud storage.
Bottom line — everyone should be paying more attention to document security when sharing files and looking into the growing number of online secure file-sharing services.
Best Practices for Secure File Sharing
When it comes to secure file sharing, there are a few things that every business and individual should keep in mind. Some are as simple as using password managers in order to keep track of complex passwords across different file servers and cloud storage accounts (passwords should never be too similar and should be changed semi-regularly). Other secure file sharing tips, however, can be more complicated and involve practices such as encrypting all of your important files.
Adopting Secure File Transfer Solutions
One of the most important steps towards establishing secure file sharing is the adoption of secure file share and file transfer solutions. More directly — you should be using reputable and secure file-sharing services that utilize high-grade encryption, especially when a large file is involved.
CapLinked, for example, provides state-of-the-art online document sharing that features an abundance of security features (including military-grade 256-bit encryption), all in an easy-to-use interface. With CapLinked, you’ll be using a virtual data room (VDR), which provides an easy and secure way to share all of your company’s important information. All you need to do to share files is complete the following steps:
- Create an account (which is free for 14 days when you sign up here).
- Create a folder (or folders).
- Upload your document(s).
- Create a group and set permissions for non-administrators. (This step is quite important, as you want to be sure the right people have the right amount of access and control over certain information.)
- Invite people into the intended workspace group.
Beyond VDRs, you also have the option of using cloud-based storage services, but be sure they offer end-to-end encryption if you want the most secure large file sharing when using cloud-based options. It is important to note, cloud-based service providers often have different limits on large file sizes, so be sure to look at how much data you intended to store/share before signing up with a specific service for sharing files.
Implementing Encryption Measures
When looking at the best ways to securely transfer data, end-to-end encryption always wins out. End-to-end encryption essentially means your data is scrambled until it reaches its intended destination, meaning it’s unreadable by any servers or unauthorized parties that may try to access it as it travels from the sender to the recipient. Whether it’s a service like CapLinked, or learning how to enable encryption services on platforms such as Google or Outlook, end-to-end encryption will always be your best bet for enhanced file security.
Problems with Common File-Sharing Solutions
While you won’t have any problems finding a file-sharing service, you might have problems finding one that’s actually secure if you’re not careful. Popular services like Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, or Microsoft Teams seem like easy solutions, but businesses might want to reconsider before trusting these services or other similar ones with their important information.
The Problem With Dropbox
If people are looking for a file-sharing service, one of the first services many people likely think of is Dropbox. While it’s not bad for sharing some music files or family photos, Dropbox isn’t the most secure when it comes to important files.
Although Dropbox does provide a level of encryption, some of the other features it uses negate its effectiveness. For example, Dropbox uses sharing via public links. That means that any file can be accessed on any device, given they have the link. Compare that to a VDR that has set access rules that ensure only certain people on certain accounts can access intended files, and you’ll quickly see how any service with public links is asking for a slip-up.
Another thing Dropbox fails to do is offer client-side encryption or private keys. That means that there is still a window of vulnerability as your files move across servers to their intended destination.
The Problem With Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is another popular file-sharing service, and while it is generally secure, it still has a few notable issues. Beyond some system vulnerabilities that involve complex hacking schemes, Teams’ biggest problem is how it implements default file encryption. Essentially, Teams offers end-to-end encryption but requires both sending and receiving parties to set it up individually before it is actually used. While its availability is a great step, the fact that it requires multiple parties to properly set up means there is once again unnecessary room for error.
Potential Security Threats
While encryption is a major factor in keeping your files safe, there are ways in which cybercriminals can still go after your information. Things like phishing attacks, malware, and other security vulnerabilities are always things to be on the lookout for.
Phishing Attacks
Phishing isn’t a new tactic when it comes to cybercriminals, and yet it still seems to maintain its place as an effective way to breach a company’s security. Generally speaking, a phishing attack presents itself as a seemingly innocent email sent to an employee or employees of a business. The goal is to get an employee to click a link inside the email, which can then lead to a breach in the company’s network, giving unintended third parties access to private information or even leading to the installation of malware.
Malware
If you’re unfamiliar with malware, it’s basically an infection of an individual computer or network. Its purpose is to exploit system vulnerabilities and either steal information or achieve some other nefarious task.
One of the most common types of malware is ransomware, where hackers are able to get into a business’s network (typically through a phishing attack) and encrypt all of the files in the system. They do this under the threat that if a ransom is not paid, the business’s files will remain encrypted and thus essentially be lost.
Secure File Sharing for Small Businesses
Being a small business doesn’t protect you from having your information stolen. That means your business should always be using security methods like encryption, malware detection, and two-factor authentication. And it’s not just secret business documents that need to be kept safe. Businesses also need to protect files such as legal documents, financial data, and employee information.
Whether you use common small business suites like Microsoft or Google Drive, here are some things to keep in mind when practicing document security.
- Create separate drives for separate teams. This way, if an issue occurs with one team, other files can remain safe.
- Be cautious of who you share files with. Obviously, you always want to know who you’re sending information to, but it’s also important how you’re sending information. Both Microsoft and Google allow for end-to-end encryption when it comes to file sharing, you just have to go through some steps to set it up. While it can feel like an unnecessary step, ensuring both yourself and anyone you’re sharing documents with have enabled end-to-end encryption will greatly limit vulnerabilities in your file sharing. By assigning specific permissions and restrictions to individuals or groups, you ensure that only authorized personnel can access, modify, or share sensitive files.
- Always use encryption when you can. We’ve talked about it plenty, but it’s so important we’ll say it again. Always make sure your information is encrypted!
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a big business, small business, or just an individual, secure file sharing is something to keep in mind. As we move deeper into the digital age, information is becoming easier to obtain. This means there are things you should be doing to keep the private data private.
Encryption, VDRs, and just being aware of what services you’re using are big steps when it comes to keeping your valuable information safe. Because technology is constantly moving, it’s important to always stay up to date on the latest security systems and any threats to your data you might end up facing.
If you’re looking for the safest way to store your sensitive information, CapLinked can help. By providing a modern and secure VDR service for all of your important information, CapLinked offers the latest and greatest in document security.
Start your free 14-day CapLinked trial today.
Cyrus Grant is a writer from Southern California with a background in content marketing, dispute resolution, law, and politics. When he isn’t writing he can be found deep-diving into the latest technology trends or simply spending time at the beach.
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