It seems that hardly a week goes by without a news headline about some big data breach in a major corporation. This just goes to show the importance of using document management software to create a paperless organization—that is, an organization where you can cut out paper files altogether, while building up several levels of cyber security—to prevent the wrong people from gaining access to sensitive material.
The dilemma is that the success and profitability of your business can often depend on the right information being available to people who need it. This can include a range of people, including customers, colleagues, employees, and business partners. Yet, with cyber espionage methods becoming more sophisticated by the day, the more available you make this information, the more it exposes you to fresh security risks.
What is the solution to this dilemma?
The only real way to deal with it is to have a web portal that allows you to protect Cloud-based files and to send files securely over the internet without ever having to resort to making paper copies at all. For this to work, you have to be able to make sure that all users can be both authenticated and authorized before being able to access the information. A secure web portal, such as SecureDrawer, provides just this type of solution—it enables file-sharing to take place without any fears that data will fall into the wrong hands.
Why is the need to find a secure solution for file sharing so much greater now than it used to be?
There are a number of reasons.
- Information has always been crucial for business success. However, this need has become greater than ever with the rise of big data analytics. The rate of data creation shows no sign of slowing; yet the more data that exists, the easier it is for others to get ahold of it.
- Companies are increasingly encouraging the development of a data-driven culture—staff is expected more and more to rely on solid data for decision-making. This means that they have to be sending, receiving, and accessing large amounts of data on an increasingly frequent basis, which obviously increases the chances of any piece of information being exposed or stolen.
- Data in motion is bound to be more vulnerable than data stored behind company firewalls. File sharing may be essential, but it must only be carried out with the use of a secure transfer solution.
This is exactly the type of solution that is supplied by a secure web portal like SecureDrawer. It provides a single doorway, through which all users—clients, partners, and employees—can gain access to the information they require, while ensuring the right security is carried out.
- Authentication—when users enter the portal, they are prompted to provide a means of verifying their identity, such as username and password.
- Authorization—you can determine what resources can be accessed by the authenticated user. For instance, a customer will probably not be given access to the same data as an employee.
- Additional security is provided through strong encryption and digital signatures.
All businesses are faced with this dilemma—the need for free transfer of information versus the vital importance of maintaining data security. It is generally recognized that a secure web portal provides the only viable solution to this dilemma. Data breaches can cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars, and they can cause companies to lose their competitive edge and see their reputations demolished. By setting up a portal, you can offer services that are more responsive while maintaining the complete confidence of customers and partners.