Temporary file sharing: a business quandary

General   /   Apr 1st, 2019   /  A+ | a-

Online storage today is cheaper and easier than ever before – but temporary file sharing remains something of a technological headache. Many of the services we use and take for granted include a certain amount of free storage, and some will even include a sharing option. However, it’s very common to feel a pang of unease about how long this link will last for, whether the link will be shared beyond the intended recipient, or how secure the content is.
 

Furthermore, even offline file sharing – passing a USB to a colleague for example - is not without its risks. These devices are incredibly easy to accidentally pass to a family member or lose on public transport, which could lead to you inadvertently exposing sensitive company data to the world.
 

Similarly, most of us will admit to sharing a file from the office in an insecure fashion, but rarely because we want to cause a security incident. It’s usually because we’re in a hurry and want to finish a project at home in an evening or over the weekend.
 

Secure storage and file hosting usually come at a price, but for some business files, this kind of temporary file sharing is a must, particularly when dealing with sensitive kinds of data. In fact, under the recent GDPR legislation introduced in 2018, sensitive data types – for example that concerning children – is subject to much more stringent protection regulations than other types.
 

Clearly, these kinds of organisations will often have bespoke solutions and more rigorous processes in place around file hosting and security, but most companies will have information which is sensitive to a greater or lesser extent.
 

The ideal solution is one where files can be uploaded to a secure environment where links can easily be shared with colleagues, but where the originator of the content can retain a degree of control – for example, over the longevity of the file and the number of acceptable downloads.
 

Solutions like Privfile offer all of these benefits – it provides an easy-to-use file website for uploading files, with simple controls over the number of acceptable downloads and the lifespan of the file online. Users do not have to worry about old, sensitive files hanging around on unknown parts of the internet – and with data breaches a daily fact of life online today, all organisations can benefit from removing another worry from their employees’ lives.

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