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A Comprehensive Guide to Securing your Important Documents

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Collaborating with team members working remotely or within the organization is made easier to share documents in several ways easily. Since there are myriad ways to share files, folders, and documents, document security is a daunting undertaking. However, it is possible to secure your sensitive files and ensure your documents don’t fall in the wrong hands if you take the right measures. Keep scrolling to know some of the best ways to secure your organization’s documents while sharing with team members or saving them on the work computer. 

If you are Still Using Paper, Digitize Your Documents 

Paper documents are a huge security risk for all organizations, and therefore, they must think of digitizing their documents. An employee could carry a hard copy of a document outside the building or lose it. On the other hand, you have several ways to add security measures to your digital documents and ensure the files are protected.

So, it would be best if you started by scanning all the paper documents and converting them into digital files. Then, you need to look at the security tips given below that will help you secure your digital documents.  

Protect your Documents and Files with Strong Passwords 

You can password protect your most important documents and files. So, all your employees will need to have the password if they want to access the files. If the files are not protected with a strong password, anybody who takes the device will be able to access important and sensitive files. 

You can easily ensure to keep password protected folder Mac and Windows or any software you are using to create the documents. It is an easy process, but you must ensure the password is strong. If the password is easy, anybody will be able to guess it. 

It is essential to create passwords that cannot be guessed easily or deciphered. When creating a password, you must avoid using common phrases or words. Also, you need to have a combination of numbers, special characters, and a mix of lowercase and uppercase letters. The password must not be related to your personality or life. While an ideal password must contain eight characters, it is best to have at least 20 characters. 

Besides, it would be best to encourage your employees to change their passwords frequently. It will ensure hackers don’t get a hold of your password. To track the passwords and record them, you can use top password managers. These password managers can even help come up with difficult passwords that will be completely random. 

Set Up File Encryption

If you want to add an extra layer of protection to keep your documents safe, you can encrypt the files on your system. When you place encryption on your hard drive, the software will scramble the data in the folder or file. It will make it difficult to read without the actual password. When you enter the password, you can read and access the file. 

There are several free third-party subscription software that you can use. There is also built-in encryption software in Windows and macOS. 

If you are using Windows, you have to go to the Control Panel and click on System and Security. Then, click on Manage BitLocker. From here, you can change BitLocker settings according to your convenience. 

If you are using a Mac, you need to turn on FileVault. Navigate to the Apple Menu > click System Preferences > click Security & Privacy > click FileVault. You have to scroll to the end of the window and click on the lock icon. Then, you need to click on Turn On FileVault. After that, select if you wish to use your iCloud login data for this encryption software or if you want to create a new password. Then, click Continue, and the data on your system will be encrypted. 

Use Two-Factor Authentication

You must deploy it immediately if the cloud storage provider or software allows you to set up and utilize the 2FA or two-factor authentication to protect your account. 

With the 2FA, you have to enter a username and a strong password. Then, finish the login process, and the software will send you a generated code. For example, the code might come to your email, tablet, or smartphone. Then, you need to enter the 2FA code to enable it and access your account. 

Thanks to 2FA, nobody can steal your data. Even if they get a hold of your username and password, they cannot get the code to access your account or files. This is because the login process won’t be complete until the code is entered, which is not possible. Therefore, your sensitive data is protected. 

These are ways to protect your document and keep it away from hackers or thieves. Of course, you must take every step to ensure your data is protected. All the best! 

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