Last updated on June 26th, 2023 at 10:43 am
INTRODUCTION
VDRs protect your sensitive business data by securing them online with cutting-edge technology. It is an important tool to manage your strategic business deals, high stake transactions, prepare for litigation and perform other document heavy tasks.
One of the most important aspects of security in a VDR is its Access Control. VDR’s can control the access and permissions available to each individual user, protecting not only specific files or documents but even specific pages or paragraphs within a single document. Incorrectly set access or permissions parameters offer low-hanging fruit for hackers, who can then use them to access information without permission.
The most important considerations while setting access permissions include:
Staying out of standard cloud storing applications:
Standard cloud storing applications like Google Drive and Drop Box are particularly vulnerable to access and permission inconsistencies. They are inadequate both to protect your data from hackers and keep it in one location.
Offer Multiple-Controls:
Users should not be required to choose just one type of access control. For instance, a combination of an access control list naming authorized viewers and a signed URL can allow a core team to access certain documents when they need to, while a separate party gains access through the signed URL for a one-time task like signing a document.
Audit logs and sharing controls help prevent exfiltration:
Access control keeps your team from getting soggy. It also prevents data leakage or exfiltration in which authorized users share data with people outside the organization. Audit logs also tell you exactly who viewed or edited a file; sharing controls can prevent documents from being copied, exported or transferred out of the VDR.
Your staff should not be your weak link:
Not all data breaches occur due to chinks in the digital channels, some occur due to social engineering also, wherein hackers stealthily barge into your organization to extract business sensitive data by manipulating your staff. Through social engineering hackers try to get access to your passwords, data or even physical structures like your servers. According to various data breach reports, almost 81% hacking related breaches occur due to compromised credentials. To defend against such attacks, it’s prudent to include education on social engineering as part of your team’s security training. When your team knows what to look for, they’re more likely to recognize an attempt to steal their credentials and prevent it.
Built-in security access control features:
VDRs offers built-in security controls that gives continuous protection with deeper insights to your data. These built-in security features include: Identity Management and Access Control, Multi-factor Authorization, Zero Trust Approach for Network Security, Authentication, Encryption of Data, Detect Threats Early using machine learning, behavioural analytics and application-based intelligence.
Application Security Features
Multi-functional authentication keeps your confidential data safe. You can control access with easy user-role permissions. These include:
Strict password protocols: They can be customized according to various parameters as per your need.
Role based application access: This gives you access only to documents that pertain to your role and responsibility in the organization and restricts viewing of other documents.
Real-time activity logs: We provide real-time activity log reports that capture every user and file activity in the virtual data room. You could find the same real-time activity log in your data room feed and mailbox too. We also provide certified copies of data DVDs and access logs.
View/print/download control of documents: This permits you to filter activities by user and allows document locking and protection by restricting user activity like view only, print, download.
Dynamic watermarking: Adds custom marking on any document with user credentials, date-time and personal note.
Granular file level access control: With this you can limit a user’s access to a particular file/folder or only to a particular section of that file /folder. We let you choose from your end-users whom you want to grant access to your data View only or download rights. Through our exclusive DRM service, you may also revoke file/document access you have granted to your end users even after the download.
Therefore, access and permissions controls lie at the heart of a robust VDR that protects important data while still allowing every member of the team to complete the tasks they’re assigned.
The Confiex team specializes in providing premium virtual data room solutions tailored for businesses. With their vast experience in working with document sharing platforms, they have been actively supporting the Virtual Data Room community since 2015 by offering valuable information to users free of charge.