Sophie Pellissier of Ipswitch looks at 5 facts IT managers should be aware of to protect sensitive data.

Businesses face a number of real threats in relation to protecting their data. Over the past several years, there has been an increasing number of cyber threats focused on health care data. Shadow IT especially has left companies vulnerable to these threats. Increasingly tech-savvy (and impatient) employees become a real danger to the businesses.

While consistent training and awareness programs have helped curb much of shadow IT, some employees still have turned to a diverse range of file sharing tools that are completely beyond the sight of IT departments and management. This leaves data sitting beyond the secure perimeter of business networks, but many individuals see external email services, cloud storage, USB sticks and mobile devices as a lot easier and quicker to use than traditional corporate tools.

A responsible reaction to the growing business risks surrounding file sharing is now driving thousands of small and large organisations around the world to implement secure managed file transfer systems as a simple, user-friendly solution to protecting their most valuable and confidential data assets. If we take the recent NHS latest data loss as a warning sign, many health care companies are susceptible to similar style attacks. However, there are NHS organisations who have already taken steps to prevent the risk of data loss.

Here’s 5 reasons why health care businesses should be using secure file transfer technology.

1. Send and Receive Data Without Changing How Employees Work

Giving health care employees the freedom of choice in how the exchange data, even inadvertently, significantly increases the risk of breaches of sensitive or confidential data, resulting in greater exposure to risk of competitive threats and statutory violations and sanctions.

By adopting business-class file transfer tools, businesses can allows users to send files and messages whenever they need to without changing the way that they work, whilst using their preferred email client or browser interface.

2. Robust Data Controls and Tracking

A lack of visibility makes it impossible for any regulated business to meet compliance and audit obligations. Businesses need tools that help users do their work easily and efficiently, while at the same time providing robust controls over data at rest and in motion. This is critical in order to meet the regulatory requirements of both the organisation. Meeting compliance often now demands a higher degree of data protection to comply with data breach notification and other requirements, such as the soon to be enforced GDPR.

3. Dealing with More People Accessing Sensitive Data

The growing number of business partners, contractors, customers and others key external stakeholders demands sophisticated file transfer management and audit tracking, so teams can collaborate on projects and securely share files. Adding greater visibility into content delivery enables IT to pinpoint security issues and implement process changes. 

Additionally, the ability to set time lines for the availability of specified data will ensure that data is not accessible during times it doesn't need to be accessed. A guaranteed delivery receipt for certain types of information, and improve the inherent security of corporate content will help avoid legal and/or regulatory exposure for senior IT and business managers.

4. A Separate File Transfer Infrastructure

Using a separate file transfer infrastructure can avoid sensitive data being sent through less secure means, such as email or enterprise file-synch and share (EFSS). It also helps avoid the hassle of managing and maintaining redundant FTP servers across an organization.

Providing intuitive, secure, managed file transfer tools empowers employees to do their work easily and efficiently, while at the same time providing management with good data hygiene and satisfying compliance requirements.

 5. Giving Control of Data Back to IT

Implementing a solid, IT-managed file transfer solution, integrated with existing authentication services provides at-a-glance IT administrative controls needed to satisfy corporate compliance obligations. With encrypted data both in motion and at rest, users can send information in a familiar and efficient way with no risk to the data and the organisation's governance.