One of the great advantages of working in the modern era is that it’s so easy to collaborate with colleagues, even if they’re located on the other side of the world. Sharing documents, videos, and other materials can lead to massive productivity gains and make work a pleasure rather than a chore.
But when sharing data in this way, we need to ensure that the advantages we’re enjoying don’t come at the expense of security. Let’s take a look at how this might be done.
Understanding the Risks of Online Collaboration
Most internet-related risk stems from a handful of common culprits. These include unsecured Wi-Fi, substandard passwords, and phishing attacks. For an example of the latter, you need only consider the email campaign against Facebook and Google, which lasted for two years between 2013 and 2015 and cost both companies around $100 million. The fraudsters were eventually tracked to Lithuania and extradited to the United States.
Given this threat, it’s important that your team be aware of the dangers of phishing and that your collaboration methods are frequently stress-tested and audited.
Balancing Security and Efficiency
Of course, sometimes security measures can be an impediment. If you have to memorize hundreds of strong passwords, for example, you might quickly find yourself resorting to less-than-ideal measures, like writing those passwords down.
For this reason, it’s important to incorporate methods, like password managers, that allow for security that doesn’t compromise on speed and efficiency. Another example comes in the form of a secure cloud folder, which can allow shared documents to be kept hidden from outsiders while authorized workers are accessing it. This is where the best cloud storage for business tends to excel.
Secure Platforms and Tools
The tools you use matter just as much as the threats themselves. The best tools will use robust, modern encryption methods to guard themselves against a range of threats. In short, they’ll prevent unauthorized actors from gaining access to data sent via your chosen communication channels.
Look for services that offer end-to-end encryption as standard and that are protected by multi-factor authentication. Through biometrics, you can ensure (to an extent) that only the right people are able to see the data being traded.
Practical Habits to Protect Your Team
Simply adopting the right platform isn’t enough in a world where every team member is a potential point of weakness. Providing the right training and instilling the right habits can help you and your colleagues avoid the common dangers. For example, whenever connecting from a remote workstation, you might use a VPN to ensure that every single data packet is appropriately encrypted.
Getting the best from real-time collaboration means installing the right platforms, developing the right habits, and being mindful of the various risks. By doing that, you’ll stand a good chance of protecting yourself against those risks!
Also Read: Supplier Collaboration: The Secret to Long-Term Business Success
