SFTP passwords or SSH keys? That’s the question often asked by IT professionals when setting up authentication on an SFTP server. There’s some debate on whether SSH keys or passwords are better at protecting and validating company SFTP servers, and the consensus is never official. Questioning what the best SFTP security best practice is doesn't have an easy answer. Both SSH keys and passwords have...

As we continue to put our data online, through social media channels, cloud storage, and email attachments, we open ourselves up to the possibility of data breaches and other attacks. The answer to this problem isn’t to stop using the internet, of course. But organizations today need to pay serious attention to their cybersecurity gaps, put guidelines in place to prevent a breach, and strategize...

If you’re looking for a SFTP client to use for your organization’s file transfers, it might be tempting to go with one that’s free—and bonus points if it’s open source. Often enough, these SFTP clients meet the minimum requirements for most network administrators, they’re easy to install (without taking up much space on your hard drive), and they don’t affect the company’s bottom line. Attractive...

Since moving to Electronic Health Records and modern EHR technology, the healthcare industry has taken great strides to enhance patient care, internal workflows, and business-to-business communication. These improvements bring organizations closer and closer to full integration with others in the industry; a goal that will, once fully achieved, help streamline the data sent between patients...

It’s been nearly a week since Equifax went public with knowledge of a massive data breach—perhaps one of the biggest to date. There’s no word yet on who is or isn’t affected, but it’s very likely that 143 million Americans (45% of the U.S. population and 80% of those who have a credit report) are now at risk of identity theft. What data was compromised? SSNs, birth dates, and addresses for certain...

Third party vendors are incredibly useful. They allow businesses to automate certain processes they can’t do themselves, like implement payroll services to compensate employees, and bridge gaps in their technology. But while the money, time, and brainpower freed up by outsourcing tasks is a huge positive, third party vendors have their downsides. There must be a mutual agreement between all...

Every organization dreams of how they’d like to implement cybersecurity successfully. In dreams, the execution is perfect: requirements would be met or exceeded, employees would be fully educated on security risks, and data would never be threatened by renegade phishing scams or careless user errors. But in reality, faced with time and resource constraints, it can be difficult for busy...

In a recent survey of UK workers, over half the employees who participated across 1,000 organizations admitted that they open suspicious email attachments. More than 80% also said they open strange attachments if the sender appears to be someone they know, and “one in five said the business they work for has no policy on how to handle email attachments, or they have not been made aware of it.”...

Early this year, the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced the elimination of FTP (File Transfer Protocol) from their business practices and policies—a change that strengthens the security of their data transmissions and addresses recent audit findings. What does this mean for you? The change is still in transition for now, but after August 31, 2017, mailers and shippers will need to send...

Anyone with an email account is used to spam. It happens one day: you get that first unsolicited email, and then a flood of ads, flash sale offers, and foreign bank transaction requests rushes into your inbox. In that moment, the battle for your virtual sanity begins. But while spam emails are mostly harmless—you tend to see them from a mile away and respond accordingly—spear phishing emails are...

In 2020, there were 642 data breaches of healthcare organizations . That’s a new record, up 25 percent from the previous year. In these breaches, the records of millions of Americans were exposed. These incidents occurred at all types of organizations in the industry, including clinics, insurance providers and their health system business associates. If you’re in the healthcare industry, here are...

Note from the Editor: This article shares highlights from an older report. For the latest on data security and best practices for keeping file transfers safe, visit our Data Security page or check out the latest additions to our blog . The 2017 Cybersecurity Trends Report was recently released by Crowd Research Partners. The report covers many aspects of cybersecurity, such as general security...

The cyberattacks and data breaches that make the news are usually the ones that happen at big corporations like TJX or Home Depot. But every organization, large or small, needs to be concerned about cybersecurity. According to Security Magazine , the average cost of a data breach for a small business is between $36,000 and $50,000 . And while the proportion of small businesses becoming data breach...

Securing information is rising in importance for organizations worldwide. Using outdated technology is extremely risky, yet many organizations continue to do so because of legacy systems that don’t allow them to upgrade, lack of resources and time to upgrade, or they are simply unaware of the risks. The commonly used SHA-1 algorithm is a perfect example of an obsolete encryption standard that...

With so many options for transferring files , it can be confusing to answer the most important question: what is the best way to secure your company’s data during transfer? Use this article as an introduction to the differences between two mainstream secure FTP protocols , SFTP and FTPS, and which is the best choice to protect your file transfers. What's the Difference: SFTP vs. FTPS Both FTPS and...

With new corporate data breaches in the news seemingly every day, it’s no surprise that security is a top concern for IT professionals. However, file transfers are an area where many companies are still vulnerable. Most file transfers still use FTP, a protocol that comes with inherent risks . Other common file transfer solutions, like file sharing apps, come with their own security concerns. This...

Every business engages in some kind of information exchange, whether it’s a small retailer attaching an invoice to an email or a hospital sending hundreds of patient records between departments. Some methods of exchanging files, like a basic FTP server or a file sharing app, seem like an inexpensive way to deal with your transfers. In the long run, however, the shortfalls of these tools will...

Read about the latest alternatives to FTP: Five Secure File Transfer Alternatives to FTP Today's data-driven world is demanding, requiring accuracy, speed, integrity and above all -- security. It's a tall order to fill, and in the past, many organizations relied heavily on the legacy FTP protocol to transmit files. But over time, FTP alternatives have become necessary as the security of this...

Security professionals of today are inundated with headlines about the potential consequences of a data breach. Making headlines for a data breach can cost you – and more than just reparations or a fine. Data breaches are the worst of bad press and can impact your finances for years to come . A s security professionals work to manage vast amounts of data throughout various physical and virtual...

Note from the Editor: This article shares highlights from Info-Tech Research Group's Managed File Transfer Vendor Landscape. Read our article about the 2021 Info-Tech MFT Data Quadrant Report for an updated landscape, or download the latest copy . The Managed File Transfer Landscape Info-Tech Research Group, an IT research and analysis company, has released a report naming GoAnywhere Managed File...