Best Practices for Securely Handling and Sharing Files Online

When last did you check how safe your customers were when interacting with your company? Protecting your customers from fraud is just as important as safeguarding your business. Unfortunately, there are more and more cyber attacks taking place, causing many to fall victim to data theft, breaches, and a variety of scams and viruses.

As a business, you should be proactive in securing all your clients and customer data, especially when you’re given the responsibility of keeping their confidential information safe. According to a recent Forbes article, there was a 72% increase in security breaches from 2021 to 2023.

From handling data to sharing files online, it’s useful to follow the best practices available to mitigate the risks. In this guide, we’ll explore why data security is important in 2025 and how it benefits your business to handle and share data safely. You’ll also get the best practices to help securely handle and share your files online as a business.

The importance of data security in 2025

Data security is highly beneficial for businesses, especially in 2025 where it seems everyone and their pet - quite literally - has a digital footprint.

For any business, protecting your data and the customer’s data is crucial. There have unfortunately been too many occasions where data theft or breaches have been caused and it’s very often caused by human error.

Without data security, we’re all left vulnerable to the ever-growing threat of cybercrime. The criminals responsible are only becoming more effective in their methods and causing unrepairable damage as a result.

Best practices for securely handling and sharing files online

So what should you be doing as a business when it comes to handling and sharing files online? What will help ensure those documents remain secure?

1. Invest in tools that offer secure features

Luckily, there’s a wide range of tools at our disposal. These tools are often quite valuable due to the innovative technology, like AI and machine learning.

When you’re looking to protect the handling and sharing of files online, you should look to use tools that offer secure features. Whether you’re converting Excel to PDF documents or transferring large data assets from one platform to another, it’s worthwhile making sure those tools enable such tasks to be done so securely.

2. Encourage the use of end-to-end encryption

End-to-end encryption is something that renders the data unreadable for those who don’t have authorized access to do so. As a result, you keep the data secure, even if the files themselves are stolen and end up in the wrong hands.

While there are file-sharing methods that enable encryption automatically, not all of them do. That’s why it’s crucial to have software in place that helps to encrypt the files at every touchpoint in the file exchange process.

Using end-to-end encryption is the most secure way of protecting your files from the point at which they’re in your company’s hands to wherever they’re shared.

3. Implement strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication

One of the dangers that often occurs within businesses is the lack of cybersecurity awareness. That’s why it’s useful to train your staff and to give them all the training they require to strengthen their cybersecurity awareness.

When strengthening the security of your files, you should look to implement strong password policies across your workforce. Even in today’s digital world where cyber-attacks are rife, many employees are reusing one password an average of 13 times.

That poses an incredibly high risk of passwords being hacked and data being left vulnerable for the taking. By implementing strong passwords for all your staff, you help to mitigate the risk of files being stolen or compromised.

The same is said for enabling two-factor authentication. 2FA is a great way of adding that extra layer of security to the accounts and software that’s responsible for storing data and files in general.

With two-factor authentication, it’s a security method that requires two forms of identification before the user is allowed into the account. Firstly, the user enters their password, and that then triggers a notification sent to a device or email account for example.

That code needs to be entered before the user accesses the account. It’s just an additional layer of security that many businesses and their employees can benefit from.

4. Limit access to those who handle and share the data

Another useful way to help protect data is by limiting who has access to it in the first place. With access control systems in place, you keep those who handle and share the data, to a minimum.

It’s unlikely that every staff member is going to need access to company files. Using access controls provides a number of benefits which include:

• Enhanced security for unauthorized access
• Improves accountability by tracking who accesses files and when
• Streamlines the management of user permissions
• Provides cost savings and increases operational efficiency

Reducing the risk of data exposure is essential for a business, so limiting access to just a few staff members will help mitigate the risk of human error. It also shows as a business, you’re doing everything possible to keep the data secure when both handling and sharing it online.

5. Monitor files and network for any suspicious activity

In order to keep on top of file management, it’s useful to have antiware software in place that helps monitor both your networks and files. It’s always best to be proactive when it comes to avoiding potential viruses and data breaches than to just sit back and allow it to happen.

Monitoring company data and existing files will help determine whether a hacking attempt has been made or is possibly in the early stages. Software that helps to audit and monitor your files and network, will do well to avoid security incidents of any kind.

In general, when it comes to handling and sharing files online, you should look to industry data protection standards. Complying with these standards will ensure you’ve done everything possible to protect the files of your company and that of your customers.

Such standards may include familiarizing yourself with data regulations within your country to ensure all software is up-to-date.

How handling and sharing data safely benefits your business

There are many ways in which handling and sharing data safely, benefits your business. The more proactive you are, the better that translates to your customers and clients.

Consumers require trust in the businesses they hand over their data to, with 75% of consumers saying they won’t purchase from organizations they don’t trust with their data.

With that being said, here are some of the benefits that come with handling and sharing your data with the above best practices.

Provides customer trust and loyalty

With data privacy well managed and prioritized, customers will feel more confident and trusting of the business in general.

That strength of trust and loyalty in your customers is imperative, especially when you’re up against a lot of other businesses within the market or industry specifically.

Reduced risk of data breaches

Data breaches are a lot more common nowadays than ever before. By this year, the global cost of cybercrime is projected to peak at $10.5 trillion. This is a rate of 15% annually, so it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Therefore, businesses need to put processes in place that help reduce the risk of data breaches occurring, particularly when it’s human error that often causes it. Putting training in place to educate employees on cyber security risks, as well as informing customers of the risks is beneficial.

By securing the handling and sharing of files online, you’ll help mitigate the risks that cybercrime presents.

Faster development and innovation within the business

By using secure data-sharing methods, it helps to facilitate more collaboration with external partners. This is great for businesses who are looking to enable faster development of products and services that are new to the market.

As a business, being more innovative and a leader within the industry is likely to improve the company's success in the future.

You’ll be more legally compliant

Adhering to data privacy regulations is a given but not all businesses are up to date when it comes to the rules and regulations in place.

Regardless of where your business originates, you’ll want to be legally compliant with any data privacy regulations in place where your customers reside. From GDPR or CCPA, adhering to these laws is beneficial for your business and its data security.

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