In today’s digital landscape, having all of our documents stored as digital files is both more efficient and highly convenient. But that can also lead to private information becoming more susceptible to viruses and hackers, causing corrupted files and stolen data. Businesses all over need stronger solutions to ensure that their files stay secure. This is where document security can play a critical role.

What Is Document Security?

Businesses need a way to make sure that data stays private while sharing files between key members inside the organization. Document security is the solution that helps prevent data loss while sending these documents online. Some of the most common security measures can include:

• Password protection
• Document tracking
• Document management
• Restricting copy
• Encrypted PDFs

These security measures help keep documents private by restricting access to a small group of people who will need to pass through security measures in order to view the documents. The more important a document is, the greater security measures it will need to prevent outside eyes from getting ahold of the information.

Why Document Security Is More Important Than Ever

It’s becoming clearer every day how important data is to the way our world functions. Today’s fiercely competitive marketplace has caused businesses to keep their competitive edge under wraps, and without document security, it’s far too easy for that information to leak out. And in today’s digital age, hackers can easily access this important information.

How You Can Keep Your Documents Secure

Here are some of the best ways that you can better ensure that what gets stored in your business will stay there.

Document Management

With so many files needing to be stored, managed, and protected, it’s easy for documents to get lost or even breached by unauthorized individuals. Document management is a convenient solution for business owners, in which a third party will help manage your entire document inventory, saving you time and money.

Document storage is a critical service for companies looking for a cost-effective way to manage their documents better. So what can document storage do for you? Let’s take a look at just a few of the features:

• Converts paper files to electronic documents
• Improves file sharing
• Heightens document security
• Automates workflow

A document management system will help you organize all of your documents in one place, speed up your workflow, and provide around-the-clock access to your files. These features alone will increase office productivity and efficiency while ensuring that each document is highly secured when shared between employees.

Encrypting PDFs

PDF password protection is one of the quickest and most common ways for businesses to secure their documents. You can change the settings of PDFs to restrict the access to anyone outside the intended person(s) who you would like to grant access to. There are a couple of ways that you can do this, such as:

Password encryption: Intended users will be given a password to access the document. It’s a simple way to protect information. You can choose who has access and even how much access they have. For instance, whether you want them to simply be able to read the document or also have the ability to edit.

Certificate encryption: Intended users will be given a certificate containing a private digital key, rather than a password. The key is used to decrypt the information and is linked to a highly secured algorithm. Only those with the key will be given access to the information.

Redacting Content

Document redaction is commonly seen in businesses, and especially in confidential government files. You’ll recognize a redacted document by the black bars that cover up large chunks of information in the said document. But digital redaction takes things one step further by removing the redacted information from the document entirely, making redacted documents even more secure. By securely removing the information, you’ll also be removing its metadata, so there’s no way for outside sources to be able to view this information.

Using PDF Signatures

Like ink signatures, digital signatures are intended to prove that a signed document is valid. You can use digital signatures to quickly show that a document has been reviewed and signed by the intended party member. The main intention of using PDF signatures is to show that a document hasn’t been tampered with or changed in the workflow. It also assures that the person who reviewed and signed the document is authentic—they are who they say they are.

Conclusion

The need for document security is absolutely crucial for businesses in today’s world, and the need will only grow more in the future as we continue shifting to an increasingly online world. Document management is an easy solution that will not only increase your security, but also help you better manage your documents to improve workflows and increase productivity.

If you are in need of a better way to secure your documents, contact us to hear more about what document management can do for you.