This article originally appeared on GCN.
Facilitating file sharing between government employees and their external stakeholders like partners and constituents can get complicated if the information being shared is of a sensitive nature. Ultimately, information can be categorized into three different segments: content that is safe for publishing openly without restrictions; content that is restricted and can never be shared outside the firewall; and content that needs to be shared outside the firewall, but only if the proper security controls are in place.
This third segment poses significant risk for organizations. Unfortunately, most file-sharing solutions -- whether traditional email solutions like Gmail and Office 365 or public cloud solutions like Dropbox and Evernote -- lack the necessary security controls to protect sensitive files. For organizations that prioritize security over ease-of-use, solutions like Secure File Transfer Protocol are so cumbersome that users often opt for easier-to-use (and less secure) alternatives, often without IT's permission. This is commonly referred to as shadow IT.
The need to share sensitive information with trusted external partners isn’t going to go away. As a result, agencies must identify systems, solutions and processes that let their employees share sensitive information securely and efficiently. Here are some key capabilities agencies should keep in mind when evaluating a file-sharing solution that meets both security and efficiency requirements.