A client has files to send to you or you to a client but the files are too big or too confidential to send through email. What do you do? Some options are to:
- Place them on an encrypted USB drive and sent them to the client
- Burn and DVD or CD and courier it to the client
- Use a service like Dropbox
Dropbox is easy to use and easy for your clients to use but Dropbox is subject to ransomware encryption and hacking. If the information you are sending is confidential, then you want to lower your risk by securing the data before, during transport and until it is on the client’s system. Lowering risk means ensuring that your data is not stored in the USA. It also means encrypting the data so that in the unlikely event that it is hijacked, it is useless to the hijacker.
While Dropbox seems like a good solution to store and share data with your clients, it may not be in the end. And Dropbox is just one of a myriad of free or low cost file sharing systems on the Internet. They all have the same limitations however.
At Triella, we have built a file sharing system targeted at business which runs out of our Canadian based data center in Toronto. One of the services offered out of that data center is the TriCloud File Sharing Service, powered by Citrix ShareFile.
Citrix Sharefile provides all the same benefits of Dropbox type services for a nominal cost. However, it does not suffer from the drawbacks of such systems.
| Drawbacks | How is this addressed? |
| 1. No backups of data so you cannot restore to a point in time. | Multiple backups per day so restoration is easy. |
| 2. Data is not encrypted | All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. |
| 3. Data not stored in Canada | All data is stored, managed and supported from Canada. |
| 4. No support for on premise installations | Can be installed on premise. |
| 5. System subject to hacking | Data is encrypted so hacking will not expose data. |
| 6. Admins at Dropbox can delete data from free inactive accounts. | Admins do not have visibility into your data. |
| 7. Client risk is greater if there is a document breach. | Document breaches will not result in the exposure of confidential information. |
Citrix Sharefile has a number of advantages over Dropbox and other free or paid for file sharing systems. Some of them include:
- Versioning – keep multiple versions of a file available
- Audit trails – know what has happened to a file
- SSL/TLS 256-bit Encryption – know that your data is secure – even from administrators!
- Multi-Factor Authentication – secure access requires more than just a password
- Integrated FTP – Access you data from FTP software
- Mobile Support – Access you data on a tablet, smartphone, Mac or PC
- Granular Folder Permissions – set permissions on files and folders to restrict access
- SSAE 16 Accredited – Certified by an outside body to be secure
- Sync to Desktop – Can sync one of more files or folders to the local desktop
- Drive Letter Access – Can access the files using File Explorer as if it was a network share
Whether you decide to use the TriCloud File Sharing Service or install Citrix ShareFile for yourself, you can rest assured that your data is fully protected and accessible from wherever you need it. If you are working with clients or confidential data that must remain secure, then this is an excellent option.
