Cloud File Sharing for Business: Encryption is the Key

The differences between file-sharing for personal use vs. file-sharing for business use are well documented, even if not entirely understood by most. But if we were to single out a particular differentiator, encryption would near the top of that (long) list of items.

Not only is encryption a desirable feature for many businesses sharing files via the cloud; for some, it’s a legal requirement. Healthcare, financial services and many retail sectors come to mind.

If you’re like many modern MSPs, these industries comprise a healthy portion of your client base. As such, I wanted to share a few encryption pointers courtesy of the Cloud Computing Journal. In Gilad Parann-Nissany’s article, Cloud Computing Security Needs: 7 Steps to Migrate to the Cloud, 3 of his 7 steps are directly related to encryption – and that’s not an accident.

Let’s take a look:

Step #3. Encrypt your data: Once you have a firm grasp on the concept that you should enact a Zero Trust Policy with regard to the data you store in the cloud, you will realize that you must use the strongest possible encryption to protect it. Encrypted properly, your data, even if stolen or misplaced, cannot be used…

Step #4. Split the encryption key: Your encrypted data cannot be maliciously used, unless, of course, your encryption key is stolen or misplaced too. The only way to truly protect yourself from this scenario is to maintain control of your encryption keys. And the only way to maintain such control in the cloud is with split key encryption. When you control your own key, no one else can access your data.

Step #5. Encrypt the key: No one else can access your data, of course, unless they steal your key while you are using it. Even when you split the encryption key, you will still need to use both parts to access your data store. So how do you make sure that the key cannot be stolen while it is in use in the cloud? Use homomorphic key management to encrypt the encryption key. This way, even while it is in use, it never appears in the cloud in its unencrypted state and cannot be compromised while in use.

Obviously, the tips outlined here are not meant for the novice. In fact, they will likely bewilder even your most tech-savvy clients. But for MSPs, they will point you in the right direction in terms of selecting a vendor/partner for cloud-based file sharing. Furthermore, they stress the importance never taking a chance when it comes to data security (i.e. encrypting the encryption key).

Encryption isn’t the only feature that matters. Your cloud-based file sharing tool must be reliable, intuitive, adaptable and versatile. But businesses are willing to sacrifice these qualities if the security is solid, and advanced encryption is the hallmark of that. And if your vendor's solution doesn’t offer excellent encryption (not necessarily in the exact manner described here), then you may want to look elsewhere.

What encryption tips do you employ with clients? Be sure to share your knowledge in the comments section below.