Feb 05, 2014

Sharing business files has become more acceptable as enterprise-grade solutions continue to add security measures that protect critical assets. However, in the medical sector, organizations must ensure that their systems are HIPAA compliant and will not put sensitive data at risk. The case with medical testing laboratory LabMD serves as a reminder for what consequences inadequate file sharing can have within healthcare firms.

LabMD information on more than 9,000 consumers was found on a file sharing network and the documents of 500 individuals ended up in the hands of identity thieves, The Wall Street Journal reported. These inadequate security methods made it necessary for LabMD to send notifications to its customers as well as improve its protection capabilities. LabMD’s battle with the Federal Trade Commission has led the firm to stop operations until the situation is settled. This example serves as a prominent reminder of how business can be influenced by inappropriate use offile transfers. Enterprise-grade file sharing solutions will provide more security features like encryption and authorization requirements that will deter unknown users from accessing the system.

In healthcare and across numerous other industries, file sharing has become an integral asset and the environment is continuing to shift. According to eWEEK, secure file transfer on all levels will be driven by big data analysis and collaboration needs. The authentication issues will be mitigated by less invasive processes like fingerprint information for more accurate access allowances. While creating a secure file sharing environment can be challenging, especially in a workplace with mobile devices, organizations can integrate software like Memeo C1 to manage hardware, have better information oversight and increase overall business productivity.

“Enterprise IT teams will have to find ways to enable access but maintain security as users expect to have anytime/anywhere access to corporate files, information and email,” according to eWEEK. “They also may be transacting business away from their offices.”