How to send documents securely

From email attachments to virtual private networks (VPNs), most options for sharing files online fall short on content security. So what’s one of the most secure ways to send documents to your team members, partners, and customers? The answer lies in the cloud. 

With enterprise file sharing in the cloud, you safeguard your content by adding extra layers of protection, like encryption, granular access controls, audit trails, and more. 

Let’s break down the cloud’s best controls to send documents securely. 

Best practices to secure document sharing in the cloud 

Follow these nine steps to share documents securely using cloud storage platforms. 

1. Choose an enterprise-grade document sharing platform 

Think of a cloud-based file sharing solution as a central hub where you upload documents while controlling who can access them. When choosing a platform, look for: 

• Security: Secure collaboration tools offer threat detection, granular access controls, device trust, end-to-end encryption, and more 
• Ease of use: Solutions with a clean interface and intuitive navigation allow for quick and efficient file sharing and collaboration, reducing training needs and errors 
• Compliance: Ensure the platform helps you meet industry standards and regulatory requirements like GDPR and HIPAA
• Scalability: Choose scalable cloud data storage to support more users and documents as your company grows 
• Integrations: Compatibility with third party apps and enterprise workflow automation streamline file sharing in one place, eliminating the need for additional tools 
• Cost: Go beyond comparing pricing models and consider the value of solutions with dedicated support services to minimize downtime and smooth user adoption 

2. Automate data classification 

Identify the level of confidentiality of your content. Consider document sharing platforms that automate data classification to help you streamline categorization based on pre-set levels, such as confidential, internal, or public. 

AI-powered platforms can scan documents to detect sensitive content, such as social security numbers and financial data, and classify them in real time based on your policies. You can even block the distribution of content depending on its classification on some platforms. 

3. Set up data leakage prevention controls 

Data leakage prevention (DLP) is like having security guards for your documents, ensuring that critical data doesn’t leave your organization through unauthorized channels. With DLP, you: 

• Reduce the risk of data leaks: 68% of breaches involve a non-malicious human element, like a person sending a document by mistake 
• Investigate suspicious activity: Unusual download activity, like sudden download spikes from unfamiliar locations, can signal unauthorized access

4. Implement granular access controls 

Only authorized users should have access to view or change your documents. Improve the security of client file sharing with granular access controls that allow you to limit permissions to restricted files. For example, you can: 

• Create user groups: Define clusters based on roles within your organization, like sales team, human resources, and customer support 
• Set permission levels: Authorize access to files and folders for each group or individual user — for example, you can allow users to see and edit a document but restrict their permission to download, share, print, or delete it 
• Protect your documents with a password: Add passcodes to your files to ensure an extra layer of security if an external user gains access to an authorized user account 
• Set a shared link expiration date: Define how long a document remains available to prevent unauthorized access in case the link falls into the wrong hands 

5. Activate advanced authentication 

Adding extra layers of user verification beyond password policies strengthens your security posture, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data. Examples include: 

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Think of it like an extra lock on your documents, so even if someone cracks your password, they’d still need that extra code or fingerprint to access anything 
• Single sign-on (SSO): This method enables easy access with the same username and password you use for other work apps — just make sure you have a strong password policy to protect these credentials 

Opt for cloud document storage that offers seamless integration with both MFA and SSO. This combination safeguards your documents from threats such as accidental sharing and weak password hygiene. 

6. Encrypt your documents at rest and in transit 

File encryption scrambles a document’s content, making it unreadable by anyone who doesn’t have the decryption key. You can use encryption to protect files stored in a drive (at rest) or while sharing documents by email or messaging apps (in transit). 

Cloud-based platforms integrate document encryption software to encode your files easily, both at rest and in transit. In case of accidental sharing, for example, the recipient wouldn’t have the keycode, making information data inaccessible. 

Learn how to encrypt files in the cloud. 

7. Watermark your files 

A watermark is not only a simple reminder of the document’s ownership and copyright. It’s also a measure to discourage recipients from copying or distributing a file without permission. 

Within file sharing, vector-based watermarking empowers you to verify the authenticity and track the distribution of a document. If someone tries to share a sensitive file without permission, the watermark is shared with it, helping you identify the source of the leak and prevent unauthorized modifications. 

8. Track activities with version control 

Imagine the hassle of managing dozens of versions of a crucial contract via email approvals. A single outdated version could lead to a missed deadline or even a legal dispute due to confusion over the final approved version. 

With document version control, you track every change made to your content. A document sharing system with this capability allows you to view previous versions and restore them if you overwrite relevant information, preventing accidental changes. 

9. Maintain compliance with audit trails 

Understanding who viewed, downloaded, or modified your documents enables responsible document handling within your organization. 

Cloud-based platforms often offer document audit trails, providing a verifiable record of all file activity, which helps you to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements. And by analyzing audit trail data, you also identify users or groups that require additional access restrictions or training on secure document handling practices. 

Share documents securely with Box 

With the Intelligent Content Cloud, Box empowers you to create, edit, store, and send documents securely — from any device. 

Protect your files from unauthorized access and internal leaks with enterprise-grade security and compliance. Our zero-trust approach leverages strong user authentication with SSO and MFA support, encryption, and user-friendly permission roles to share files securely. 

Contact us to get started sharing documents securely through the cloud. 

While we maintain our steadfast commitment to offering products and services with best-in-class privacy, security, and compliance, the information provided in this blog post is not intended to constitute legal advice. We strongly encourage prospective and current customers to perform their own due diligence when assessing compliance with applicable laws.