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How to Find Secure File Sharing for Law Firms

By: Martin Horan January 18th, 2022

All organizations store and share files and data that are sensitive on some level. Health care is the No. 1 industry for storing and sharing sensitive files, followed closely by the legal industry — which makes secure file sharing for law firms a priority that too often goes overlooked. The volume of sensitive information handled by law firms, this includes both corporate information and sensitive data related to tax returns, makes the legal industry a major target for hackers. This calls for strict policies around how that information can be stored and shared digitally. Bloomberg reports that more than 80% of the top 1,000 law firms in the world had sustained a recent data breach. That’s bad news for firms – and their clients. Breaches can be costly, not just because of ransomware payouts but also due to the damage to a company's reputation that emerges from a breach. The good news is that tools exist to make secure file sharing for law firms a reality.

What is SOC 2? Why it’s Important to Your Organization

By: Arvind Mistry January 5th, 2022

In the modern age, cybersecurity has become a serious priority for organizations operating in both the public and private sectors. Government entities prioritize cybersecurity to prevent foreign actors and third parties from accessing state secrets. Corporations and other businesses prioritize cybersecurity to prevent ransomware, the loss of proprietary information and trade secrets, and generally to secure any information and files they store and share. What is SOC 2 and where does it fit within the emerging cybersecurity universe that’s growing more important with each passing year? SOC, an acronym for “System and Organization Controls,” is a cybersecurity risk management reporting framework that includes different levels for different types of organizations — SOC 2 is the second level of the framework designed for service providers. The SOC framework and SOC 2 requirements for service providers have become a universally accepted standard for securing information, data and files. At FTP Today, we are SOC 2 certified with the GOVFTP Cloud in scope. This is one of the best ways to ensure we’re securing our users’ data and files while minimizing the risk of outside threats. See below for more details on the SOC framework, on SOC 2 compliance, plus what it means for your organization.

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Why Rent A Dedicated FTP Server?

By: Brendon Ainsworth December 21st, 2021

The need for an FTP hosting service becomes apparent to any organization that handles, stores or shares sensitive files. Once your organization recognizes the need for an FTP hosting service, and once it realizes in-house solutions are cost-prohibitive, it’s time to answer this question: Should you rent a shared or dedicated FTP server? No two organizations are exactly alike, so this question must be answered on a case-by-case basis. Dedicated FTP servers provide a number of benefits that your organization may want to take advantage of. Here’s a look at the 4 primary benefits of choosing to rent a dedicated FTP server rather than using shared FTP infrastructure.

Introducing Our User Facing Clickwrap Agreement Feature

By: Martin Horan December 16th, 2021

FTP Today recently launched our new User Facing Clickwrap Agreement feature (also known in the industry as a clickthrough agreement). The FTP Today clickwrap agreement feature is only available on our advanced plans. If you are not currently an FTP Today customer and are interested in learning more about our plans and pricing, contact an FTP Today expert to learn more. If your subscription plan has this feature, you now have the ability to enable and configure clickwrap agreements that force all users to explicitly acknowledge custom terms and conditions before logging in to your FTP Today account. The initial launch of FTP Today clickwrap agreements is just the first step. In the future, we anticipate offering different types of clickwrap agreements for different types of users — for example, a clickwrap agreement for internal users plus a separate clickwrap agreement for external users. Clickwrap agreements have become essential tools for businesses that operate online in any capacity. At FTP Today, we’re constantly adding new features and tools that empower organizations to protect their files, data and information, as well as empower organizations to protect themselves from liability. Continue reading to learn more about our clickwrap user agreement feature and how administrators can configure a clickwrap agreement within FTP Today. If you have questions or would like to see a demo of our clickwrap agreements, get in touch with us.

NIST 101: Everything You Need to Know About the NIST Framework

By: Arvind Mistry December 10th, 2021

Even if you’ve only dabbled in cybersecurity, you’ve likely heard the acronym NIST — which stands for National Institute of Standards and Technology. Behind that simple acronym are huge implications for organizations that experience cybersecurity threats or that regularly handle sensitive files and information. The NIST framework for cybersecurity can help keep your organization safe from breaches, and it can also help you achieve compliance so that you can work with other organizations and government agencies that are concerned about cybersecurity. To help you better understand the NIST framework for cybersecurity, here are in-depth details about NIST and specific publications relevant to cybersecurity and the protection of sensitive files and information.

Introducing Our Session Lockouts Feature — for a More Secure FTP

By: Brendon Ainsworth December 1st, 2021

In mid-November, FTP Today launched a new session lockout feature that will create a more secure FTP hosting experience for our users. This new feature slows down and defeats cyber-attacks, and it’s also a key component to complying with certain cybersecurity regulations and standards. Sessions lockouts are available through three of FTP Today’s pricing plans: Premium, Ultimate and Dedicated Server. To start taking advantage of this new feature, sign into your administrator dashboard and click on the Account Lockout Policy tab on the left. Visiting this tab will give you the opportunity to configure session lockout settings by IP address and username. You can enable or disable the feature, set the number of login failures that will trigger a lockout, adjust the tracking window minutes, and change the number of lockout minutes. See below for more details on the benefits of session lockouts, as well as more information on taking advantage of and customizing session lockouts for your organization. As always, our team is here to help if you have any questions or would like to further discuss session lockouts.

Data Encryption Best Practices

By: Martin Horan November 24th, 2021

File transfer protocol (FTP) as it was first conceived included no encryption. In the earliest days of FTP, senders and recipients of files logged in with usernames and passwords in plain text, and files were passed from one party to another without encryption. That’s not the case with modern FTP providers. They apply modern data encryption best practices to FTP transactions so that file transfers are conducted with the utmost security. What data encryption best practices should you be following? Here’s a look at different types of encryption, encryption needed for secure file transfers, plus details on how FTP Today handles encryption for its clients.

CMMC 2.0: How the DoD’s Cybersecurity Certification is Changing

By: Arvind Mistry November 18th, 2021

The body that oversees Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (better known as CMMC) has just announced version 2.0 of its standards. This updated version of CMMC is significant for organizations that are part of the defense industrial base — organizations numbering 300,000-plus that comprise the supply chain for defense-related projects in the United States. See below for more details on CMMC 2.0, plus what those changes mean for organizations that work on projects with the U.S. Department of Defense.

8 SFTP Best Practices for Your Business

By: Martin Horan November 11th, 2021

You’ve likely heard of FTP as a protocol for sharing files and information across the Internet. You may have also heard of SFTP, but what exactly is the difference? Below, you’ll find details on the differences between FTP and SFTP, plus the reasons why SFTP is the most secure way to share sensitive information outside your organization. To make sure you’re maximizing your use of SFTP hosting, we’ve also included a comprehensive list of SFTP best practices. Want to learn more about SFTP cloud server options, use of SFTP, SFTP cost, and general SFTP cloud solutions? Our team is always here to help. Contact us to chat with an SFTP expert.

What to Look for in FTP Hosting: 10 Essential Features & Benefits for 2022

By: Brendon Ainsworth November 4th, 2021

FTP servers empower users to download and upload needed files and information securely. Because the use of FTP servers is the best way to share sensitive information, many organizations are seeking out FTP hosting solutions. But the FTP hosting landscape is full of different providers that offer a range of features and benefits. How can you know exactly what your organization needs? See below for 10 FTP hosting features and benefits that are absolutely essential for secure FTP hosting in 2022 and beyond.