Your Organization Is at Risk if File Sharing Is Not Actively Managed
As we have been covering over my last two posts (here and here), digital tools employed by many companies today have proved invaluable in enabling productivity across a distributed workforce. Digital solutions enable employees across the world to take part in common workflows, boosting worker mobility, productivity, and collaboration. So far, we’ve covered how file sharing is an inherent part of these processes with collaboration platforms supporting sharing and storing documents for easy access.
But what happens when a user needs to view a document saved in the solution? Here are a few scenarios:
So, what is wrong with asking a user to download? First off, it is a waste of employee time; but more importantly, downloading files opens up the user to the risk of malware. Requiring users to download such files and then open them locally could activate malware hidden within, putting your company at risk.
In tandem, all that downloading is going to create multiple digital duplicates of sensitive information, increasing the likelihood that such information could be inappropriately accessed, stolen or misused.
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In the #DigitalTransformationPodcast linked below, Kevin Craine and I dig into file sharing and walk through some specific real-world examples that may feel familiar. We also discuss the top essential practices for safe file sharing, why Excel, Word, and PowerPoint are notoriously hard to share safely, and how to strategize for a digital future.
Over the next few months, I’ll continue posting about challenges with how documents are handled within various digital solutions and invite comments or feedback on the ideas shared. Some of these articles will include information about how @Qualcomm? DirectOffice? can help. I welcome any comments or feedback added to this post or sent to me via direct message.