What is secure file sharing?

In a world of hyper-connectivity, employees want complete access to information and tools from the devices of their choice. But with increased access can come increased vulnerabilities. Employees share, manage and transfer files across more endpoints – both mobile and desktop – than ever before. Secure file sharing refers to the systems/processes an organization puts in place to do this in a way that’s secure, private and protected.

What are the risks?

In the course of doing business, it’s often necessary to share documents containing data such as intellectual property, commercially sensitive content and financial information both inside and outside organizations. While this allows employees to better collaborate with one another and enjoy greater productivity, it also presents a significant security risk for an organization that’s caught unprepared. In a recent Ponemon¹ study, approximately 60% of employees confessed to sending unencrypted emails, failing to delete confidential documents, or accidentally forwarding sensitive data to unauthorized recipients. Unsafe file sharing makes organizations vulnerable to data loss and non-compliance.

What is the solution?

The ability to confidently and securely manage, share and collaborate on sensitive files is essential. To enable this capability, organizations must adjust how they secure their operations – security controls that authenticate users to file sharing servers and encrypt the files when downloaded are insufficient. Security measures must instead follow documents wherever they go, including third-party environments, which IT teams, for all practical purposes, cannot control. A secure content collaboration solution can make the difference.