What You Should Know About Secure File Sharing When Proprietary Information is Involved

The issue of internet security has never been more prevalent than it is today. With frequent online security breaches being reported in the news, businesses have a reason to be concerned about the content they host, share and receive on the internet. Particularly, if you or your clients work with proprietary information, secure file sharing is of the utmost importance. 

So, what are the risks you should be aware of when it comes to file sharing online? And, how can you prevent your company and your clients from dealing with a potentially catastrophic security situation? Are there certain platforms and features you should be utilizing to better protect your information? We’re answering all of these questions and many others.  

Find out how to be sure you’re participating in the safest possible file sharing practices online. 

The Importance of Secure File Sharing in the Digital Age

It’s often said, your business is only as important as the content you share. The same can be said about how effectively you’re able to protect your client’s business interests. If you often deal with proprietary information on behalf of your clients- whether they’re lawyers, engineers or in the IT field- it’s your duty to guarantee that their information is safe. Your clients’ businesses may depend on your commitment to their data, content and proprietary information.   

According to Juniper Research, cybercriminals stole 12 billion records in 2018. They estimate this figure to skyrocket to a staggering 33 billion records by 2023, with more than half of these occurring in the United States. Additionally, the Ponemon Institute’s 2018 ‘Cost of a Data Breach’ study for IBM found that the average cost of a data breach to companies worldwide was $3.86 million. It’s vital to protect your company from security threats by opting for more secure cloud-based platforms.  

There are several ways to ensure secure file sharing and operate more safely online in general. First and foremost, you need to invest in a cloud storage system that stores and backs up your files across multiple devices and multiple storage facilities. Additionally, your platform should regularly check your data for integrity and respond accordingly if anything suspicious should arise. 

Key Tips for Securing Your Information Online

Explore some additional basics of secure file sharing and safer internet practices in your business, below:   

• Have you enabled two-step verification on your cloud accounts? This is an absolute must for better security for your information.   
• Ensure your most important systems have complex passwords that are changed on a regular basis. Additionally, your passwords should never be housed in a basic Excel spreadsheet or accessible on a public drive at your company.   
• When accessing proprietary information, never use public WIFI. You have no way of knowing what other people on the network are capable of and it’s an unnecessary risk to take when it comes to your team and your client’s information.  

Next, think about investing in smarter tools when hosting, sharing and communicating about critical business information. Remember, your clients are trusting you to protect their key information. Decide whether you’re doing everything you can to ensure no one is able to access their content, that shouldn’t. 

Consider Using a Virtual Data Room

A virtual data room allows companies to quickly and securely collaborate on sensitive information. Whether you’re negotiating a new client deal, or reviewing a complex and confidential project, these data rooms are a great option. A virtual data room (VDR) was designed to securely transfer information from one source to another. Unlike a less secure Google Drive folder, they’re protected from security breaches and allow you to set varying levels of permissions for users.   

A VDR also enables your company to prevent certain actions like printing documents and images, or cutting and pasting any content to an outside source. Transactions within the VDR are also completely anonymous to other users. This may help ease your clients’ concerns during high-stress business situations like bidding wars. Additionally, in the event someone should no longer have access to the VDR, an account Admin can easily revoke access and eliminate their ability to login to the platform immediately.  

How to Ensure Your Cloud-Based Platforms are Secure

It’s imperative to ensure that your cloud storage system is safe and that your team is participating in only the most secure file sharing practices. The best way to do this is by understanding how you’re able to better protect your information online.  

Begin by thoroughly researching the available features you could be taking advantage of. For example, does your system require an NDA to be signed before logging in? Or, are you able to see who is most active within your cloud storage system and when they’ve viewed documents?  

Consider some of the following helpful security features to better protect your information online:  

• Advanced User Permission Settings: Chances are, you frequently deal with several members of a team during your business collaborations. If so, you should be able to easily change everyone’s permission levels to various files, documents and dashboards. Also, you need to be able to quickly revoke user permissions whenever necessary.  

• Easily Track Activity in Your Cloud Storage: Who and when someone accesses your information is imperative to know. Be sure to select a cloud storage system that easily lets you track everything that happens in your workspace. 

• Better Encryption for Your Files: Your content should always be given the highest level of security possible online. Onehub offers bank-level encryption for information both in transit and at rest. This means you can rest assured knowing you’re utilizing only the most secure file sharing processes when sending important information to your clients. 

For a more secure cloud-based platform, consider storing, managing, and securely sharing files in the cloud with Onehub. Ultimately, our system makes collaborating with anyone in the world easy and safe.

Explore More Secure File Sharing Online Today

In today’s online world, it’s more important than ever to ensure the information you’re uploading to cloud-based platforms is in good hands. Your team, and your customers rely on the fact that you’re keeping their proprietary information as safe as possible. At Onehub, security is our number one priority. We monitor our customer’s data 24/7, and our practices are verified by VeriSign. The bottom line: we stand behind our secure filing sharing services completely.  

Explore our secure document sharing services, and review our stance on keeping your content secure, today.