Secure online collaboration looked at as postal strike workaround
The impending postal strike is causing headaches in companies large and small across the UK, and may accelerate the move away from the paper trail binding businesses to the Royal Mail.
Web search giant Google's Google Wave offering for instance is billed as the collaborative successor to electronic mail. However many businesses - anxious to comply with the upcoming regulatory requirements - are concerned about the security of their internet communications. Switching to a secure online collaborative work environment does what may seem impossible. It saves money on postage. It saves time. It helps firms meet their regulatory requirements on security of data.
Mark Fullbrook, UK and Ireland director with secure collaborative systems specialist Cyber-Ark, says the postal strike will do UK firms a favour by speeding up the e-enabling of their businesses. "Our technology supports a process known as digital vaulting and secure file transfer between geographically separated people. Like others in this space, we've seen a spike in our business in recent weeks as firms realise the need to move into the 21st century with their communications," he said.
"And as they look into our technology, they are realising it can actually save them money and speed up their work processes, as well enhance their data security," he added.
According to Fullbrook, secure data collaboration is already in use with a number of government bodies around the world, and it can also help businesses meet their regulatory needs. "The Royal Mail may have shot itself in the foot over this strike, but overall, forward-thinking businesses will actually prosper, as they employ secure collaborative working practices to beat the strike, save money and better meet their data security requirements," he said.
Cyber-Ark recently carried out a survey amongst 416 large multi-nationals to find out how they go about transferring sensitive documents with external suppliers.
80% felt they were using secure methods however when questioned in more detail, only 13% actually were using secure file transfer methods, with most choosing pretty unreliable methods such as:
- 9% sending sensitive documents in the post
- 11% using a courier
- 20% just emailing the information
- 32% using `secure email'
- 43% using file transfer protocol (FTP) technology, which is not renowned for its security
According to Fullbrook, back in 2006 the Royal Mail faced a record £11.4 million fine for failing to adequately prevent mail being lost, damaged or stolen. "Secure collaborative working also solves this problem as well, as it means businesses will not lose their sensitive documents in the mail," he said.
"Of course we sympathise with the postal workers but as they say, every cloud has a silver lining, and this strike has one that can actually benefit UK PLC," he added.
Reproduced from an article published by PublicTechnology.net
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