It has been nearly one year since my post on How to Avoid Security Risks when Sending Large Files. Yet as 2008 comes to a close, it is clear far too many organizations have not yet addressed this major risk to confidential data exposure. Across the globe we saw headline after headline detailing security breaches directly resulting from data transfer through CDs, thumb drives and P2P applications. I have included a sampling of 2008 data breach instances at the end of this article.

What is most puzzling to me is how companies continue to risk the safety and security of their own as well as their customers' digital assets despite the proven severity of consequences. In addition to affecting a company's bottom line and reputation, companies, governments and other organizations are putting the private data of hundreds of thousands of individuals at risk every day when choosing to share information using non-secure file transfer methods.

In preparation for the New Year, I urge those of you that have not adopted a secure means for sharing digital data to please implement one soon. Preventing data leakage at the file transfer source is a relatively simple issue to address when armed with the right information. If you are uncertain of what to look for when choosing a solution for your organization, please revisit my previous post (summarized below) and avoid becoming the next victim.

1. Pick a business level solution.

2. Avoid IT overload.

3. Make it easy.

4. Be compliant.

5. Secure your data. Accept no less than business-level security.

A sampling of 2008 data breach incidences:

--This summer Virgin Media made headlines for losing a CD containing customer bank details
--Medical records and Social Security numbers for at least 1,000 patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center were exposed in a P2P data breach
--Also making headlines this summer was Justice Breyer, who was Among the Victims of a Data Breach Caused by P2P File Sharing
--The Canadian government reported a popular P2P file-sharing program, LimeWire, exposed the private details of more than 150 people over the internet
--A flash drive containing student financial information went missing at Tennessee State University. The TSU Department of Internal Audit launched an investigation and the employee that lost the flash drive was been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Later it was determined the flash drive was taken by a student from the forum and used to save a paper.

Yorgen Edholm

CEO and President

Accellion

www.accellion.com

You do not have flash or javascript support.

Average (1 vote)

Reply