As more public and private organizations adopt new technology and cloud-based solutions, the risk of cyberattacks increases. Working in the shadows, threat actors actively look for opportunities to hack into websites or steal confidential company or client data.

There is a high price to pay if you get hacked: According to Statista, the average cost of a data breach in the U.S. amounted to $9.48 million in 2023. That figure doesn’t even include the cost to your reputation and loss of clients. 

Password protection and virus scanning are no longer enough to protect your data from cyber criminals. While organizations today need robust security features, stricter policies can often slow workflows, delay work, and disrupt the client experience.

At ShareFile, we believe that world-class security doesn’t have to get in the way of work. Our features align with your end users' needs, giving them tools to keep data safe at the file or folder level without making them change how they work. Our accessible features can help you meet even the most demanding security and compliance requirements.

In this post, we’ll show you how ShareFile can help your enterprise users seamlessly exchange large files in a secure and compliant way.

Encryption for files and emails

Email is a valuable communication tool for many enterprise teams, enabling them to quickly share and exchange documents and data that are vital to their daily activities. But it can also be unsecure. ShareFile Encrypted Email allows you to encrypt the body of your message, along with any attachments. It offers compatibility with Microsoft Outlook and Gmail plug-ins, and you can also compose, receive, and modify encrypted emails directly from the ShareFile web application. And it gets better: Your recipients can reply with encrypted secure email even if they aren’t ShareFile customers.

ShareFile email and file encryption features keep you in control via:

• Email integrations: Use plugins to encrypt email copies and attachments within Microsoft Outlook.

• Attachment conversion: Send secure links to files and folders up to 100 GB, bypassing attachment size limits and email bounce backs.

• Bank-level encryption: Files are protected by 256-bit encryption – one of the most secure encryption algorithms available.

ShareFile email and file encryption technology makes data sharing seamless and secure. Your files stay protected, whether they're in cloud storage or a client’s inbox. 

Secure data access and control

With ShareFile’s tailored client permissions for folders and files, you can easily manage every aspect of file sharing and can control who can access which file, when, and for how long. Employees can also be notified of suspicious activity for an added layer of data security.

ShareFile’s user-friendly features for easy sharing help you to build client trust with detailed settings that let you control how others use the information you share. ShareFile offers security that’s rigorous, user friendly, and flexible enough to allow employees to access files from any device and location—while you maintain strict security standards.

Here are some of the ways you can use ShareFile to streamline document security: 

• Create reports: Meet your company’s data policies and compliance requirements with stress-free reporting.

• Granular permissions: Protect data with password protection, document-sharing settings, and customized folder permissions.

• Hyperlink sharing: Give your client a secure link for uploading documents and get notified when they use it. 

• Integration with third-party data loss prevention (DLP) systems: ShareFile on-prem deployments integrate with Symantec, McAfee, and other data loss prevention systems for extra protection.

• State-of-the-art security for all your data: Using SSAE 16 Type II certified data centers, all your indispensable company data is stored in proven and trusted cloud infrastructure.

• Threat detection: Receive alerts when a security threat is detected so you can respond accordingly. 

Your clients trust you with their information, so they expect critical safeguards to prevent unauthorized disclosure of or access to their data. With ShareFile you can provide a robust layer of data protection and control.

Client and user authentication

ShareFile users no longer need to choose between user convenience and secure sign-ins. We designed our authentication features to make security so simple that it won’t interfere with tasks like co-editing documents and requesting feedback or approvals. You can decide who can access your confidential information with controls that support regulatory requirements.

ShareFile user authentication features and methods for trusted logins include:

• Device security: Remotely lock and wipe encrypted ShareFile data from a lost or stolen device.

• Lockout policies: Lock out a user after too many failed login or sign-on attempts from unfamiliar devices and locations. Devices can be locked based on a pre-determined number of failed attempts.

• Multi-factor authentication: Validate identities with one-time codes, tokens, SSO, and other MFA methods.

• Open authorization: Users with OAuth sign in faster, and data stay secure.

• Password protection: Set expirations and requirements for length, letter, number, and character combinations. 

• Single sign-on: Pair with any identity provider that supports SAML 2.0.

IT and business leaders strive to enable secure workflows without inhibiting productivity, so striking the right security balance is crucial. Security can’t be one size fits all, especially in highly regulated industries. That’s why ShareFile offers flexible safeguards that can be tailored to specific needs.

Built for compliance

Built with HIPAA, SEC, and FINRA regulations in mind, ShareFile is compliant with security standards such as ISO 27001, 27701, and SOC 2 type 2 certification.

ShareFile uses Transport Layer Security (TLS), an advanced security protocol that provides end-to-end protection for client authentication and authorization. Additional measures include securely configured firewalls, redundant storage, and file backup.

In addition to TLS protocols and industry standards for up to 256-bit encryption, we offer other security perks that your IT team will be happy to see. For example, we use a hashed message authentication code (HMAC) and secret key to protect data in transit and prevent tampering. Each ShareFile download link is randomly generated using these strong hash-based message authentication codes, and technical countermeasures block bad actors from guessing codes.

ShareFile allows organizations to maintain control over their data and supports any IT environment (on-premises, cloud, or hybrid). Globally dispersed storage zones facilitate compliance with data regulations (i.e., customers can choose to store metadata in the U.S. or Europe) and provide admins the flexibility to choose between ShareFile-managed secure cloud storage or IT-managed storage zones (on-prem) storage within their own data center. 

ShareFile uses servers (stored on SSAE 16 Type II certified data centers) maintained by Amazon Web Services in multiple locations across the globe that are SOC1, SOC2, and ISO 27001 certified. That means they are specifically designed to meet strict standards for protecting sensitive information like PHI.

At ShareFile, seamless work and supporting compliance go hand in hand.

Get started with ShareFile

Great security doesn’t have to get in the way of a great user experience. ShareFile is designed to meet the unique needs of your organization so you can keep data secure, collaborate seamlessly with your customers, and deliver a modern client experience. Whether it’s collecting signatures electronically, sharing documents via email, securely storing confidential information, or complying with the requirements of your industry, ShareFile can help you protect your most valuable assets and work more efficiently and effectively with your clients.

Learn more about ShareFile and get started today at https://www.sharefile.com/enterprise.