Summary:
If you operate an SMB, cyber security needs to be part of your budget. Internal financial reports, client contracts, proprietary data and the other files you share often contain valuable and confidential information. Unfortunately, transmitting your business data through unsecured channels exposes it to interception, theft and eventually, unauthorized access.
That is why an encrypted file-sharing service is critical to your company’s secure operations. Furthermore, secure file sharing preserves your business’s reputation, maintains any legal compliance and supports overall secure business functions. If you use basic email, attachments or unsecured cloud drives to send important and confidential documents, you're putting your company and its partners at risk.
An encrypted file service is a versatile digital tool that allows the safe electronic transfer of files. Encryption translates your file data into unintelligible and meaningless gobbledygook during file transfer. Only the intended recipient, with the correct decryption key, can read it. Encryption works in the background, requiring only that you log in to your account and upload a file. Also, many professional IT security services offer advanced encryption features, such as encryption expiration dates, secure password management and audit trails that capture and track which users access which files and when.
Q: Why is it important for SMBs to know how to share files securely?
A: It protects confidential data like contracts and financial reports from being intercepted, stolen or accessed without permission during transfer.
Data breaches can be devastating to a small business. If you are not prepared, they can seemingly come out of nowhere. Just one exposed client file or stolen contract can cost you thousands of dollars in lost revenue, legal fees, lost trust and potentially irreparable reputational damage.
Secure file-transfer solutions significantly enhance overall data protection and minimize the risk of exposure to cyberattacks. Secure transfer includes encrypting data in transit and at rest, authenticating users, limiting file access permissions, blocking suspicious content and logging all network activities. It is impossible to defend against every potential cyber threat, but you can make it more difficult and less appealing for hackers to access and exploit your SMB’s data.
Q: How do secure file transfer solutions prevent data breaches?
A: They employ encryption, user authentication, access controls and activity logging to keep sensitive files protected from cyber threats.
Email was not designed with security in mind. Sending email is like sending someone a postcard in the mail, in that anyone who picks up the postcard can read its exposed contents. Digitally, even your file attachments can be scanned or intercepted by a cyber thief during a file transfer. The last thing you want is to risk accidental sharing of private client or proprietary data with hackers. Instead, if you’re wondering how to share files securely, an encrypted file sharing platform is the best solution. You’ll get the protection that standard email cannot provide and the right tools to manage the access and usage of whatever files your company shares.
As an SMB owner, you probably can’t afford a full-time IT department. Perhaps you have no dedicated IT staff. That means you need special tools that are both powerful and user-friendly. A good file-sharing service has those tools and can help you avoid data loss, meet industry compliance regulations, provide confidence to your clients and enable secure remote work. Additionally, modern file-sharing platforms are cloud-based, allowing your employees to access your business’s files from anywhere with an internet connection, without the need for a complex infrastructure setup.
SMB's too often believe that cyber threat protection tools will slow their system down or make simple tasks more complicated. That’s not the case with the professional secure file-transfer solutions available. Most of these platforms are designed to be user-friendly, and they integrate easily and seamlessly with common tools already in place while continuously working in the background. You can easily drag and drop the files you wish to share, invite other collaborators to share them and easily set access permissions. This makes it routine for your team to stay productive while keeping your files secure.
A document collaboration tool lets your team work together on the same files in real time without compromising cyber security. Users can edit, comment on and update documents without the need to constantly download and re-upload versions as changes occur.
When built into a secure platform, a collaboration tool adds a significant layer of cyber security. Instead of emailing documents back and forth or sharing unsecured public cloud links, you can collaborate within a cyber-protected environment. Everyone can stay on the same page, and therefore, no sensitive data leaves the system without your permission. That kind of collaborative control is critical when you’re working with financial reports, sensitive legal documents or client files.
Q: What role does a document collaboration tool play in security?
A: It lets teams work on files in real time within a secure platform, preventing the need to send files back and forth through unsecured channels.
Not all secure file-sharing platforms are the same. There are a few key features to consider when evaluating file-sharing services for your SMB. They include: end-to-end encryption, access permissions with expiration dates, multi-factor authentication, audit logs and cloud or hybrid deployment. These features should become a codified part of your cyber security best practices.
The workplace has evolved into a global digital environment. As teams collaborate across time zones and conduct client meetings online, the ability to share files securely, from anywhere with an internet connection, is more important than ever. A cloud-based document collaboration tool, combined with a secure sharing platform, ensures that your remote team can send and receive sensitive files without risking exposure to cyber threats.
Q: Can SMBs use secure file sharing without hurting productivity?
A: Yes. Modern tools are user-friendly, integrate with existing systems and run in the background so your team can remain efficient while staying secure.
Most providers offer a straightforward setup process, typically accompanied by step-by-step installation instructions. Many platforms are fully cloud-based, so there’s no need for special hardware or to perform any major network reconfigurations. When you're up and running, managing the system is typically very easy. You can add users, assign and edit permissions and track usage without needing to be tech-savvy. If you're working with an MSSP (managed security service provider) on file encryption, it can also help maintain your system and handle an array of additional IT security functions.
Our installations also include live virtual training for new users. Ask your IT security provider about this service. They should provide new user training for secure encrypted file sharing software.
Any company can fall victim to a data breach. In fact, it's likely to happen. There’s no such thing as 100% secure, and smaller businesses are increasingly targeted because they’re viewed as easier to compromise. To keep your SMB from becoming a sad statistic, you should know how to share files securely or invest in a reliable, secure file-transfer solution.
It’s not about locking everybody out, but more about striking a balance between usability and strong protections. A file sharing service with encryption lets you do that by giving you confidence that your business data and client relationships are protected. Contact your MSSP to ensure your company’s file sharing is encrypted and secure before a costly and disruptive data breach sidelines your company.