Today’s businesses need to share large files digitally in order to collaborate and be productive. However, there is a significant security threat if sharing isn’t done through secure channels. Here’s what you need to know about secure file sharing.
The first thing to consider is that the consequences of insecure sharing are real: More than 4 billion data records were exposed globally due to recent data breaches. Regulations such as the PCI Data Security Standard and HIPAA, guide organizations by providing a framework for storing, handling, safeguarding and transmitting sensitive information.
Secure File Sharing 101
Imagine your client urgently needs access to the results your company has developed, but the client is located in another state or country. Sending a digital file is probably your best solution. But you don’t want to risk sending via email. How can you be assured of its confidentiality?
File-sharing services offer the best solution. The benefits include:
- Accommodation of all file sizes. Any time large files are attached to emails, having them go through can be an issue. Today’s file sharing services provide built-in bandwidth, so that file size is not an issue. You can even share multiple gigabytes of data with no hiccups.
- Increased security. The rise in cyber crimes means smart businesses are keen to protect their intellectual property. That’s where file sharing services come in. You can track the file’s deliverability and access, through authentication and authorization.
- Tracking access. Using file-sharing services means you can track all shared data, including date, time, to whom it was sent, whether it was successfully retrieved and more. File-sharing services make the transmission of sensitive information auditable, meaning you can see who accessed the information, what time zone they are located in and more.
- Fast performance. Sharing files using a secure file sharing service is a reliable and fast process. This leads to acceleration of work progress, with less probability of errors. Your organization will free up time to perform other important work by using secure file sharing.
File-Sharing Options
The number of file-sharing services in the market is on the rise in part because many businesses in healthcare and finance need this service in order to operate lawfully. Some providers offer free services for limited usage, with premium services typically paid for through monthly fees or lifetime usage fees.
Here are a few we have recommended to our clients:
OneDrive
OneDrive is a file storage and document collaboration platform that helps teams stay safe, secure and connected in the cloud. It brings people, teams and information together so people can work safely. OneDrive helps teams get the most out of their time together with collaborative tools employees can use to work together seamlessly regardless of their physical location or device.
The OneDrive platform is one of the most redundant and secure as data is replicated across multiple SOC-2 (service organizational control 2) certified data centers, its servers use RAID storage and automatic failover, and 99.9 percent SLA (service level agreements) ensure your data is protected at all times.
With built-in compliance with geographically dispersed countries, including the US, EU/UK GDPR and Canada, OneDrive is safe to use wherever your business operates and complies with data residency rules. Its features include:
- End-to-end encryption, which enables secure collaboration and communication with everyone while preventing unauthorized access.
- Real-time data backup so that any file can be restored anytime from any device.
- Easy integration with most desktop and mobile applications to open, edit and share documents.
Today OneDrive is used by two million users to back up their documents and data in top-notch data centers while keeping them secure. OneDrive provides a safer and more reliable way to save and retrieve data from any device and location without requiring external infrastructure. A free starter account provides 5GB of space.
Tresorit
Tresorit is an advanced, yet free, file-sharing platform. You can trust it to send even your confidential files. Using Tresorit, you can better control your files after sharing them. The secure and reliable file sharing platform lets you share files up to 5 GB and offers benefits such as:
- End-to-end encryption.
- SWISS privacy.
- GDPR compliance.
- Access logs.
- Password protection.
- Revoke link.
- EU servers.
OnionShare
OnionShare is one of the best file-sharing services which allows sharing your files anonymously yet with security through the Tor network. It is an open-source platform where an onion address is created, and people can visit this address through Tor browser to access the data they wish to share.
Unlike other services such as Google Drive or email, when using OnionShare, you are not giving any access to your files to the recipient. As long as you keep securely sharing the anonymous web address, you and the person with whom you are sharing the file can only access the data.
Lufi
Lufi is a file hosting platform that offers easy secure file sharing. When you upload files on Lufi, they are encrypted before being uploaded to the server. Hence, the server administrator cannot view the content of the files but can see the name, size and type of file, such as video, audio or text.
You are not required to register yourself to share your files through this hosting software. However, it stores your IP address for legal reasons when you share your files, which is fairly commonplace.
KeyBase
When it comes to security, KeyBase is considered one of the best file sharing and messaging platforms. It secures files through end-to-end encryption that ensures they are sent to the right person. With the help of public-key cryptography, all messages remain private, and the server administrator cannot even read any chats.
This platform is perfectly safe not only for businesses but also for families. You can also connect with communities like Reddit, X, etc. It is available for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android.
Datash
Datash helps you send or receive a file or text through the browser between two devices. It does not require you to register or log in on its interface. All the files you share through Datash are secure because it leverages end-to-end encryption using a 1024-bit public or private key.
Before sending the files, Datash encrypts data with the recipient’s public key. As a result, it ensures the files are sent to the desired destination. For sending files,
- Visit datash.co and let the recipient do the same.
- Enter text or choose the files you want to share.
- A recipient ID will be generated on the recipient’s device; you must enter it.
- Start sending the files by hitting the button “send securely.”
SafeNote
SafeNote is a great option for sharing temporary files anonymously. It offers a free platform where privacy, simplicity and anonymity are focused on providing you with a reliable data-sharing experience.
You can upload your files, share their link with people with whom you want to share them, and when they download the files, you can delete them. In addition, you can also set a specific expiration time on the files so they can be deleted automatically.
When you upload a file, it generates a secure link you can copy and share with recipients so that they can download the files, and then the file self-destructs.
FilePizza for Secure File Sharing
FilePizza is an open-source web service helping you share files online efficiently through WebTorrent and WebRTC. It is effortless to use and requires no file uploads to third-party servers. Instead, it utilizes in-browser peer-to-peer (P2P) file transfers.
The speed, privacy and security of FilePizza are commendable. Because it uses P2P technology, it involves no intermediary servers where data can be stolen. Another benefit of this application is that it does not set any file size restrictions, unlike other tools, so large files can be shared with one or multiple recipients.
To start sharing files, open its official website and drag the file you wish to share. Next, copy the link provided and send it to the recipient, who can use the link to fetch the file from your end.
Instant.io
Instant.io is another file transfer platform utilizing WebTorrent. It is an online torrent client, which lets you download torrents directly instead of using another program to perform the downloads. This secure file-sharing tool is a 100 percent open-source and free software that works fine with Firefox, Opera and Chrome. You can even find its source codes on GitHub.
Start sharing your files by choosing from your device, or you can also drag and drop files to start sending. Instant.io is simple to use, and you don’t need to make an account for it. Additionally, it also supports streaming media files.
There is no file size limit, and you can monitor the uploading and downloading speed of the torrents and download them as ZIP files. It also lets you share a torrent through a URL, including an info hash or magnet link.
ToffeeShare
ToffeeShare is a safe and fast secure file-sharing option that always maintains a direct route from a sender to the receiver. One of the interesting aspects of this platform is that you can send files with no size limit depending upon how much your browser or device can handle.
To value the integrity and privacy of your files, ToffeeShare uses the latest industry-standard practices for data security. Your data remains encrypted end to end so that you and the recipient can only access the data.
After sharing the data, the file is deleted permanently and is no longer available on the internet. It uses peer-to-peer (P2P) communication where there is no intermediate or third-party server. This means all your data is secure.
WeTransfer
One of the most popular file-sharing platforms, WeTransfer is free and requires no registration. It is known for its simplicity and ease of sharing files with people around the globe. To share, you select the files, and then enter the email addresses of the recipient and the sender. If you prefer, you can customize a message for the recipient with instructions or more information on the file that’s shared.
DocSend
DocSend is a secure file-sharing platform that anyone can utilize. This platform is trusted by more than 12,000 companies all across the globe, including Ericsson, Gusto, BuzzFeed and many more. The platform makes it effortless to share, manage and track files. You can even protect your files with email verification and passcodes. Moreover, you can turn off its access to take back the document control if you like.
For business needs, you can also leverage their eSignature features, which let you sign the documents electronically.
Need Assistance With Secure File Sharing?
Using a secure file-sharing service can be hugely advantageous for your professional and personal life. Simply select a secure file-sharing service and start sharing with your colleagues, clients or family members.
If you need assistance, BrightFlow Technologies offers file-sharing capabilities as a service to global organizations. We can manage all your file-sharing needs, so you can achieve the best possible security outcomes. To learn more, get in touch with us today.