What is Secure File Sharing?
Secure is the operative word here. Dozens of applications allow you to transfer files – small to large – between different users or organizations. A secure file transfer solution, at its most basic, secures the movement of files while at rest and in transit confidentially – all within a protected mode.
Secure file transfer ensures the integrity of the electronic files and file movement even if:
- Connectivity goes down
- There’s a heavy system load
- The files sent are large
- The file volume is high
While there are lots of file sharing options out there – some free, some low-cost – not all are secure or can meet today’s operational needs for security, compliance, and efficiency. A protected file sharing mode helps protect data from intruders or unauthorized users through encryption (before sharing, when being transmitted or both).
Secure file transfer solutions usually encrypt information at all stages and create an audit trail of activity surrounding the transfer to provide the necessary documentation needed for compliance requirements like PCI DSS, the GDPR, SOX, HIPAA, NIST and others.
More File-Sharing Terms to Know →
MFT Leads the Class in Securing File Transfers
Instead of relying on homemade scripts, manual processes, or even Joe in IT – who might just be on vacation during a scheduled critical batch file transfer – businesses increasingly are turning to robust platforms, such as Managed File Transfer (MFT) for a secure file transfer solution with added capabilities.
MFT Earns Extra Credit for File Transfer Ease and Security
Any FTP application can send files, but MFT sends them securely, efficiently, and streamlines the entire process with added benefits such as:
- Encryption
- Automated batch transfers
- Volume capabilities
- Unlimited file size transfers
- Integrated clustering
- Collaboration tools
- Customizable workflows
- Restricted authorization
- Advanced auditing and reporting
- Immediate notification of errors
- Resuming dropped transfers
- Functionality on any browser or platform
Share Large Files Easily and Securely
MFT allows for files of any size to be transferred and avoids the headaches and pitfalls of doing so through open-source FTP tools or other homegrown solutions and scripts. While these types of solutions may work for small, ad-hoc file transfers, those big bulky files need a solution with muscle.
MFT and other secure file transfer solutions support auto-resume and integrity checks for large file transfers to provide peace of mind when it comes to network connectivity. If the network has a problem mid-file, an MFT solution will pause and resume when it’s resolved. Certain solutions will also send you an alert if, for some reason, a file transfer fails. You’ll know before your trading partner does.
When evaluating MFT tools, look also for high availability (maximum time of "live" time you can get in the event of a system or network issue) and scaling (where workloads are balanced and more evenly distributed across your network).
Earn an A+ in secure file transfer
