Having secure file transfer services for your business is incredibly important in this day and age. Every week it seems as though there’s a story about a major breach of security of a government office or a private business. Over the years, millions of consumer records and private data in general have been compromised due to malicious hackers as well as poor security measures. File transfer services provide the backbone for countless businesses of all shapes, sizes, and fields. One thing they all have in common, though, is that they’re all vulnerable to attack. If the Office of Personnel Management, the federal agency that handles the human resources information and responsibilities of federal workers, is susceptible to attack (and it was two weeks ago), then who or what is safe?

Of course, that’s not to say that all hope is lost or that a business shouldn’t bother setup secure file transfer services. Safe data delivery methods is the first step of any security system. In order to give you a better idea of what data delivery services look like, here are a few key terms you should be aware of:

• File Transfer Protocol: File transfer protocol (FTP) is one of the most basic ways of transferring digital information. With FTP, information can be sent to and from various clients via a main server. One of the cornerstones of any successful networking system, FTP often comes with security features that makes sure that no unwanted users can access the content.
• Secure File Transfer Protocol: Secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) is similar to FTP in name but little else. SFTP uses a highly secure data stream that cannot be accessed by unauthorized users. It is used by businesses that want even more safeguards against hacking.
• Encryption: Encryption is the process of masking sensitive data by deciphering it into an unreadable language using algorithmic formulas. It is one of the most basic components of any network (or, really, digital) security. There are two main types of encryption: symmetric (or “secret key”) and asymmetric (of “public key”). Symmetric encryption is the oldest and most famous form of encryption.

For more information about secure file transfer services or data loss prevention solutions, feel free to leave a comment or question at the bottom.