Beware of The Insecure Substitutes for FTP File Sharing

Though techniques like e-mail, faxing, USB thumb drives and consumer online file sharing sites used to "get the job done" regarding file sharing in the workplace, they are now woefully inadequate for today's modern standards. Not only are files commonly too large for methods like e-mail, but these techniques also do very little with regards to keeping information out of the wrong hands. For the tech-savvy business, FTP file sharing brings with it a wide range of benefits that can't be ignored.

FTP File Sharing: Closing the Insecurity Gap 

To understand just how beneficial FTP file sharing can be, you must first understand more about how vulnerable your information is when shared through more conventional methods. E-mails, for example, can easily be intercepted and read at an unfortunately large number of points between the sender and recipient including at all router points, by your Internet Service Provider and even by internal IT departments.

A great degree of human error is also an issue when sharing through more conventional methods. An e-mail can accidentally be sent to the wrong person, exposing the sensitive file that was attached to it to prying eyes. That e-mail can also be forwarded to unauthorized recipients. A thumb drive can be lost or damaged, both exposing the data contained on it to those who may wish to do you harm or losing the only copy of that data to the ages.

The Benefits

With FTP, on the other hand, these are no longer concerns that your organization will have to worry about. You can make files available on a case-by-case basis using the native permission functionality inherent in the technology. You can literally specify who can or cannot access a file, taking human error completely out of the equation.

Data is also encrypted before it is sent, making sure that it cannot be read at any of the aforementioned potential interception points. Without the associated encryption key, which is not transmitted along with the file, the data being transmitted remains safe and secure even if the file that houses the data is intercepted at a router point, by your ISP or at some other point.

Not only is FTP file sharing by far one of the most secure ways to share information in the digital age, but it also does wonders for productivity. Things like files that are too large for conventional methods to issues like accidentally sending files to the wrong recipient are thankfully things that you just don't have to worry about anymore as a result of the benefits that FTP brings to the table.

Key Takeaways:

• Files that are being shared over a business network can potentially be intercepted and read at an unfortunately large number of points including at your Internet service provider, at router points, by internal IT departments and more.
• FTP file sharing aims to address these concerns through state-of-the-art security measures, like high-grade encryption.