Email has become the preferred method Home Page to communicate information quickly, efficiently and economically. It’s a fast and convenient alternative to traffic jams for meetings in person, postal delays interruptions to fax machines, and busy phone lines. However when it comes to the exchange of confidential documents, email’s convenience conceals the inherent dangers.
After your sensitive data has been deleted from your server there is no way to control where it goes and whom it is visible to. Even if your email is protected with encryption, which provides an extra layer of security, it may not protect against the kind of “man-in-the-middle” attacks that could occur if someone were to intercept your email message while in transit.
The most effective solution is to utilize an outside service that specializes in secure document exchange, which will ensure that your customers’ confidential documents are not in the incorrect hands. A secure document exchange system lets you monitor the editors and users of your customers’ data.
If you must email confidential information, a NDA that is supportive could assist you in reducing the risk. Limit the number of identifiable items you send to the minimum necessary for your job and avoid including them multiple times. For added security, you can make use of a password-protected document instead of sending it as an attachment, or include a confidentiality disclaimer automatically in your emails. No matter which method you use, make sure to clearly define your expectations in your NDAs to the recipients of confidential information.
