Organizations that use collaboration tools could be at risk if they don’t have the right security measures in place. When you’re looking to introduce collaboration across your business, there’s a whole host of security issues that you need to be aware of:

Collaboration and security checklist

■ Collaboration tools can provide a way in for ransomware or malicious code if your security isn’t set up in the correct way.

■ Hackers can eventually guess user names and passwords. 81% of confirmed breaches are due to weak, reused, or stolen passwords.1 Secure systems need extra ways to identify users, such as biometrics or SMS text codes.

■ Mobile devices are more susceptible to data breaches. That’s why your collaboration solution needs secure access to content systems. You’ll also need to be able to wipe content from mobile devices remotely.

■ Bear in mind that many tools create multiple copies of files for sharing, editing and so forth. But this gives hackers a larger surface to attack.

■ Business and pleasure must be kept separate on your employees’ devices. You’ll need secure mobile containers to keep work content apart from personal content. This ensures employees’ devices aren’t affected by the removal of company data.

■ Many collaboration tools don’t offer end-to-end encryption. Without it, hackers and rogue employees can access data that passes through the tool. End-to-end encryption ensures only the people who are taking part in a conversation can decrypt the content.

Average total cost of data breach2

$3.62 million

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more security risks associated with collaboration tools. But this shouldn’t stop you from using them. It’s possible to use these systems without exposing your organization to potential threats.

It’s all about being prepared: you need a collaboration solution that’s built on a secure foundation.

Prepare for secure collaborationUse the list below to check that you’re building both a collaborative – and secure – workplace:

Run a risk assessment for your collaboration systemIdentify areas where data may be leaked from your organization. And pinpoint areas that are vulnerable to cyber attacks. This will give you a list of actions to improve security. For example, you might conclude that you’re more at risk when you use the web app of a collaboration tool. The answer could be encryption or a secure VPN.

Understand your employees’ collaboration requirementsWhen people work together, they can solve problems and innovate quicker. So, how do you make collaboration as secure as possible without holding people back? One way is to give the right access to the right people. With the right collaboration tool, administrators can set up tight controls without stopping anyone from doing their job.

When it comes to working with external partners, you can also make things more secure if you both use compatible software and digital devices, such as smart whiteboards. It will make it easier to share and work on files – and you remove the risk of a paper-based work style.

Create an enterprise collaboration security policy This will help you manage security risks and keep everyone on the same page when it comes to sharing information. You can use it to lay down the ground rules for employee behavior. The policy should dictate what processes you’ll follow and how to implement them. It can also help you identify ways to automate your defence – to avoid human error. For example, with antivirus scans on all file downloads or data loss protection technology.

Choose an established solutionLeading IT companies are a safer bet. They have the most experienced talent in the security world. Their people will be working around the clock to identify and prevent security issues and downtime. If you’re going to a cloud provider, it’s also key to know where their servers and backup systems are. Both for peace of mind and to comply with regulation. If you have concerns, it’s an option to host your collaboration tool on your own hardware or private cloud.

Develop a training planMake sure you have training and best practices in place before you roll out your solution. The right education will help minimize issues caused by your employees. Things like bad password habits, storing more data than you need to on a device, or accidentally clicking on malware.

Build a secure enterprise sync-and-share system As more employee devices contain more corporate information, risk increases. This is a good reason to deploy a corporate file-sharing solution. It will help you monitor file usage patterns and detect anomalies, as well as wipe corporate data if a device is lost or stolen. If you use encryption, make sure the encryption keys are stored in a different location to the encrypted data. It’s also sensible to work out how you’d respond in the case of an administrator password theft.

Create smart and secure meeting spacesTo get the most out of your meetings, you need to start quickly. And you need to share and edit content with ease. A wireless presentation system makes this possible. But be sure to find one with the right level of security; and protect data with a new PIN code every time.

Keep security as a priorityIt’s important that you’re always aware of how security risks are evolving. You must have a plan in place to address them. Regularly reviewing your collaboration practices will help you stay one step ahead of the threats.

Source: 1 Verizon, 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report, 2017, p3. Available at: https://www.ictsecuritymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017-Data-Breach-Investigations-Report.pdf | 2 Ponemon Institute LLC,, 2017 Cost of Data Breach Study, 2017, p1. Available at: https://www-01.ibm.com/marketing/iwm/dre/signup?source=urx-15763&S_PKG=ov58441

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