What is Secure Document Sharing?
Luckily for most of us who have a hard time keeping track of our loveable Post-It-Notes, we have file sharing, which means, well, sharing files. Our computers won’t hold hostage the stuff we all love like music and videos from anywhere.
Welcome, secured document sharing.
With file sharing, we can share pictures (yes, those, too), videos, graphics, and other files with people we trust and not with those we don’t. The beauty of secure file sharing is the freedom and security it provides. Sending an important document not meant for prying eyes is perfectly secure using secured document sharing.
Real Benefits of Secure File Sharing
Today’s technology allows anyone with secure files to send them over the Internet, intranet, or peer-to-peer network encrypted end-to-end. It happens quickly and without interruption. Slow, so-called high-speed Internet moved out of the way with introducing gigabit Internet speeds.
Secure file sharing is quick, convenient, and oh-so-secure.
Companies large and small see a major cost saving by using secure file sharing because the days of owning a mini server farm to handle the huge storage requirements are over. Cloud storage takes the place of in-house servers and the savings add up fast.
Cloud services offer secure document sharing as a default offering.
More Secure Data
Private files, containing personal information or those that require a for-your-eyes-only label, stay secure as long you pay attention to the security measures meant to protect them. This means you won’t have to worry about bad guys intercepting the transmission and stealing or changing the information.
Modern File Sharing – The Process
In the proverbial old days, we shared files by emailing them (not safe) and hoped our coworkers received it in time to add their comments and return the files back to us. If more than a few people added their thoughts, before we knew it, we had a pile of comments to add and then update the files.
There is a better way.
Thankfully, cloud platforms have a Share button or command that makes sharing docs and files a breeze. Click on Share, add the people to share your files with, and depending on the permissions you set, they receive, edit, and return the file back to you.
Your one copy comes back to you. Not several.
The Downsides of File Sharing
Nothing online avoids the ever-present threat of attacks. We do our due diligence, but some people have too much time on their hands. Temptations of scoring a major data breach causes chaos in our companies.
Peer-to-peer is the worst.
P2P apps make transferring files simple, but we pay a price for convenience. No one can reliably trace the source of P2P files and they fall into the trap of attackers who inject malware, viruses, and worms into the files before you see them.
Your company’s network becomes infected seconds after downloading the files.
Personal information, including financial and medical records, becomes accessible for attacks later. Identity theft and corporate sabotage are a few of the disasters awaiting you and your company if you insist on using P2P apps. It’s time to get out of the late 90s and realize that the founders of P2P do not have your best interests in mind.
Install a robust firewall and antivirus.
Secure Document Sharing Is Here to Stay
The world of secure document sharing keeps growing in popularity and will grow exponentially for years. As security advances, so will the endless attacks by hackers and attackers. Our advantage is that with a common-sense approach to file sharing and security, we can enjoy the benefits of increased productivity and lower costs.