7 Benefits of Using MFT for Encrypted File Transfers At minimum, a managed file transfer (MFT) solution is a product that encompasses all aspects of inbound and outbound file transfers while using industry-standard network protocols and seamless encryption. It can automate and transfer data across your network, systems, applications, trading partners, and cloud environments from a single, central...

Last Updated 05/03/2024 Are SFTP and FTP the same? While they both transfer files, the answer to this question is ultimately, NO. Secure File Transfer Protocol or SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) are NOT the same thing. SFTP, not to be confused with FTP Secure (FTPS), is a network SFTP is an extension of the 2.0 version of the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol.SFTP is...

What is Open PGP? PGP is the backbone of Open PGP. It is an open source standard that allows PGP to be used in software that is typically free to the public. The term "Open PGP" is often applied to tools, features, or solutions that support open source PGP Encryption technology. It is Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) approved. Open PGP file encryption techniques enables you to store...

If your trading partners or vendors require you to PGP encrypt or decrypt the files you exchange, you may be on the search for an affordable, trust-worthy PGP software to implement in your organization. The software you’re looking for may also need to support more than basic PGP decrypt and encrypt functionality. You may want it to include a key management system for PGP public and private keys...

If your organization uses Linux operating systems to run key business processes, it’s important to implement tried-and-tested Linux security practices that support critical files as they transfer from one system to another. One requirement that pops up frequently for Linux users is file encryption. Linux files need to be encrypted seamlessly and quickly to prevent critical business data from being...

You know what a data breach looks like in the movies... A character’s computer is suddenly overtaken by lines of green code. Windows and browsers pop up at lightning speed, as if the PC is possessed and has its finger on the fast-forward button. The main characters give each other horrified looks. "We’re being hacked!" a side character shouts, and then alarms and red lights blare across the...

PGP, GPG, GnuPG, Open PGP. These terms file under the same category but refer to slightly different things. If you’re wondering what they mean or what the difference is between them, especially PGP vs. GPG, you’re not alone! Read this article to get a better feel for these standards and their nuances. PGP – Pretty Good Privacy PGP stands for Pretty Good Privacy. It was created in the 1990s and is...

Last Updated: 05/02/2024 The Need for Secure File Transfer Protocols “FTP served its purpose for its day, but it was never designed to offer up the level of security today’s organizations require, whether for compliance or to help prevent the enormous fiscal and reputational costs a data breach can bring about,” said Chris Spargen, Senior Manager, Solutions Engineering, Fortra. “Not only does FTP...

Managed File Transfer: A New Cybersecurity Strategy for Sensitive Files Earlier this month, independent news platform Patch reported that Neiman Marcus, a department store chain in the US, has finally agreed to a settlement for their 2014 data breach. They’ll need to "pay $1.5 million and adopt measures to prevent hacks," measures that include the encryption of card data, the use of "industry...

Every year, organizations hope that statistics for data breaches will improve, that things will be better than the year before. And every year, they are dismayed to discover that even though they’re pulling in new cybersecurity tactics to thwart cyber attacks, so are hackers pulling in new methods to discover their organizations’ weakest vulnerabilities. It’s frustrating, to say the least. What’s...

Banks and financial institutions, take note: though the year is almost over, no one is safe from a data breach. Industries across the board have seen 4.5 million records stolen so far in 2018—a staggering 133% increase over those compromised in 2017 . As you create updated cybersecurity plans and data breach prevention strategies for the new year, it’s imperative to look at how you’re securing...

What’s the true cost of downtime for your organization? You may think of it in terms of lost revenue—according to studies released in the last couple years, the average cost of system-wide downtime is $100,000 an hour, and that’s on the low end (it can get up to $300,000 or more). But there are other factors involved in the price of downtime that can hurt a company’s productivity and resources...

“AS/400 is built to be safe and reliable.” “No one makes viruses for the IBM i. There are no known cases of malware, either.” “IBM has amazing IBM i server security, so we don’t have to worry about vulnerabilities.” Do these statements sound familiar? Perhaps you’ve come across these claims in the industry, heard someone say something similar at an event, or maybe even said it yourself. Whether it...

While several industries, including business and education, make up a big portion of yearly data breach counts, banks and credit unions aren’t left risk free. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), the banking/credit/financial sector totals 5.8% of 2017’s data breaches as of June 30, 2017. That’s up two percent from 2016’s first half, a bigger rise than every industry sector...

As we continue to put our data online, through social media channels, cloud storage, and email attachments, we open ourselves up to the possibility of data breaches and other attacks. The answer to this problem isn’t to stop using the internet, of course. But organizations today need to pay serious attention to their cybersecurity gaps, put guidelines in place to prevent a breach, and strategize...

EFSS (Enterprise File Sync and Share) and MFT (Managed File Transfer) are two terms that are frequently thrown around in the IT industry. Each solution is used to transfer files to multiple locations and devices, and they can both be deployed on-premises or in a cloud environment. These similarities inspire frequent questions. What are these solutions, exactly? What do they do, and when should you...

Since moving to Electronic Health Records and modern EHR technology, the healthcare industry has taken great strides to enhance patient care, internal workflows, and business-to-business communication. These improvements bring organizations closer and closer to full integration with others in the industry; a goal that will, once fully achieved, help streamline the data sent between patients...

It’s been nearly a week since Equifax went public with knowledge of a massive data breach—perhaps one of the biggest to date. There’s no word yet on who is or isn’t affected, but it’s very likely that 143 million Americans (45% of the U.S. population and 80% of those who have a credit report) are now at risk of identity theft. What data was compromised? SSNs, birth dates, and addresses for certain...

“ Your password will expire in X days .” That pop-up or email is all-too-familiar for employees at organizations requiring login credentials with the common “90- or 45-day rule” for changing or updating passwords. It’s a security best practice designed to help keep your accounts—and your organization—secure from hackers and nosy coworkers. But does it really? While the “90-day rule” has been...

Third party vendors are incredibly useful. They allow businesses to automate certain processes they can’t do themselves, like implement payroll services to compensate employees, and bridge gaps in their technology. But while the money, time, and brainpower freed up by outsourcing tasks is a huge positive, third party vendors have their downsides. There must be a mutual agreement between all...