Abstract

Communication and collaboration tools are central to the success of any business—especially in today’s connected business landscape. More than anything else, you cannot let your collaboration tools put your company data at risk. We have some tips you can use to avoid some of the common challenges that businesses face with collaboration and data security.

Ensure Secure File Sharing

Even if it might seem to be the case, your collaboration and communication platforms are not secure by default. Developers do generally build a baseline level of protection and security into their solutions, but you’ll want to confirm that you have end-to-end encryption set up for your services, especially if you’re using them in collaboration with the public cloud. You can consider your email the perfect example of this rule, as you want to make sure that your messages aren’t being intercepted and looked at by external threats.

Work with the Best Providers and Services

Your vendors and providers will play a part in securing your collaboration and communication tools as well. You’ll want to work with providers who do their best to provide secure integrations and configurations that work well with your other tools and the rest of your IT infrastructure. If you know what you are looking for before you implement a tool, it makes the process much easier for everyone involved, and it can save you from implementing a subpar solution.

Manage Your Collaboration Tools In-House

Collaboration tools are helpful, but you need to make sure that your team is actually using them appropriately. If you make them too difficult to access, your team will simply use something else in its place, which leads to a decentralization of your data and, consequently, a lack of security. If you maintain your collaboration tools in an easy-to-use environment like the cloud, your team won’t have any excuses, and they will be able to access it without any issues.

Train Your Staff

Finally, the employees who use your solutions day in and day out should receive specialized security training in regard to collaboration and communication tools. This will help to ensure that your team is using the tools in an effective and secure way. You can make it easier for your team if you give them the secure tools they need to do their jobs, including solutions that are equipped with end-to-end encryption and a virtual private network.

You don’t have to implement a collaboration tool like this all on your own, though. You can rely on NetMGM to support you every step of the way. Learn more by calling us at 888-748-2525.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

How to Resolve Common Collaboration Security Mistakes

Rafiq Masri

With over 25 years of experience in Information Technology, Rafiq is one of the most accomplished, versatile and certified engineer in the field. He has spent the past 2 ½ decades administering and supporting a wide range of clients and has helped position Network Management, Inc. as a leader in the IT Managed Services space.

Rafiq has built a reputation for designing, building and supporting top notch IT infrastructures to match the business objectives and goals of his clients.

Embracing the core values of integrity, innovation, and reliability, Rafiq has a very loyal client base with some customer relationships dating back 20+ years.

Rafiq holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and has completed graduate programs in Software Engineering and Business at Harvard and George Mason University. Rafiq is a former founder and CEO of Automation, Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan as well as a valued speaker on entrepreneurship and technology at industry events such as ExpoTech and others.