Regulation Risks

The High Stakes of Data Exchange on Insecure Social Channels: A Technical Approach and Solution 1024 448 Christian Grunkemeyer

The High Stakes of Data Exchange on Insecure Social Channels: A Technical Approach and Solution

The ubiquity of data exchange in our interconnected world has become more pronounced with the availability of social channels like Twitter and Facebook. Despite their convenience, these social channels are notorious for their lack of privacy and security. Even Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter, recently underscored the insecurity of Twitter’s private messaging system. So why is there not more public concern? This can be attributed to the overwhelming convenience of these platforms and a general resignation to their lack of privacy. While Twitter acknowledges the importance of addressing data privacy and security concerns, their recent efforts to enhance security measures still fall short of providing an acceptable solution. The question remains: will unsuspecting users perceive these measures as sufficient, or will they more deeply examine data privacy issues? We’ll dig into those details shortly.

The Risks of Exchanging Sensitive Data on Insecure Social Channels

Contact centers such as Genesys have long embraced social channels like Twitter and Facebook for participating in seamless back-and-forth communication. However, this flow is disrupted when highly regulated data enters the conversation. As a contact center starts to handle information for regulated industries like Financial Services, Healthcare, or Government, the dialogue swiftly escalates from “what error message are you getting on your printer” to “what is your account number and social security number.” Everyday social channels are ill-equipped for this level of data exchange, leaving contact centers in a dilemma.

The risk heightens when sensitive data, including Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Payment Card Industry (PCI) data, and Protected Health Information (PHI), is exchanged on insecure social channels. This could lead to detrimental consequences for both individuals and businesses. Picture an employee, attempting to cater to a customer’s preferences by sending PII through Twitter’s private messaging system after receiving it via the same channel. The moment the PII escapes the protective shield of the corporate firewall, it’s exposed to potential compliance violations and hacking threats.

The Limitations of Encrypted Email Solutions

Encrypted email has long been an option for secure data exchange, but its complexity makes it not a favorite among users. Many encrypted email technologies are disjointed, fragmented, and challenging to navigate. Customers who opt for receiving their data through social channels are unlikely to engage in a convoluted process to access an encrypted email. The objective, then, is to develop a secure communication channel that aligns with users’ expectations and seamlessly integrates into an organization’s business processes.

The Necessity of End-to-End Security

Applications like WhatsApp provide the added security of end-to-end encryption. However, this requires users to install and register for another app, disrupting their seamless experience within existing customer apps or portals. While Twitter’s announcement of a paid version with encrypted messaging is promising, it comes with certain limitations such as monthly fees, no file attachments, and the requirement for recipients to follow senders to enable encryption features. To address these challenges, the ideal solution is to establish a secure communication channel that seamlessly integrates with both internal and external endpoints. This solution ensures robust data security while transparently integrating into existing workflows and user experiences. By achieving this seamless integration, organizations can prioritize data privacy without compromising user convenience.

The DataMotion Solution

DataMotion tackles this issue head-on by providing organizations with the tools to harness a secure, compliant communication channel specially tailored for effective data exchange. This secure channel is ideal for sharing confidential information between enterprises and customers – envision it as a social channel designed for regulated industries. DataMotion’s solutions place emphasis on streamlining workflows and enhancing user experiences. As a result, businesses are empowered to engage securely with customers from within their existing apps and portals. The end result is seamless relationships characterized by heightened customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Solution Benefits

  • Seamless Integration: DataMotion seamlessly integrates with existing systems, providing organizations and customers with a user-friendly environment for real-time, secure data exchange. This integration eliminates the need for complex migrations or disruptions in workflows, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
  • Zero Trust Design: With DataMotion’s sophisticated encryption technologies and stringent compliance standards, organizations can trust that their sensitive information is always protected. By implementing a zero-trust approach, DataMotion ensures data integrity and confidentiality, mitigating the risks of unauthorized access or data breaches.
  • Secure Channel: DataMotion offers a variety of secure digital channels, including chat, email, and secure file transfers. This enables organizations to securely communicate and share information with customers and partners, fostering trust and confidentiality in their interactions.
  • Scalability: DataMotion’s robust architecture allows the solution to scale seamlessly as organizational needs evolve. Whether it’s handling a growing volume of data or accommodating an expanding user base, DataMotion adapts to changing requirements, ensuring continuous and reliable service.
  • Certifications and Accreditations: DataMotion holds various certifications and accreditations, including HITRUST CSF®, EHNAC accreditation for HISP, CA, and RA services, and DirectTrust accreditation. This comprehensive compliance framework encompasses industry regulations such as HIPAA and HITECH, providing organizations with the assurance that their data exchange practices meet the highest security and privacy standards.

Exchanging sensitive data on insecure social channels like Twitter necessitates a more cautious approach. Both businesses and individuals must prioritize secure channels that are user-friendly and maintain data security from end to end. DataMotion’s solution adheres to the highest regulatory standards, offering streamlined, secure, and compliant exchange with your customers. By adopting integrated secure solutions like DataMotion, we can mitigate the risks associated with exchanging sensitive information on insecure platforms, while still accommodating the preferences of modern users, ensuring that organizations and their customers can engage in seamless, protected communication.

Don’t leave your customers’ data vulnerable on insecure social platforms. Discover how DataMotion enables organizations to offer a secure, compliant social channel that prioritizes both security and seamless customer communications. Contact our team of experts now and request a personalized demo.

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Balancing Security, Compliance, and Usability: Your Secure Message Center FAQs 1024 404 Christian Grunkemeyer

Balancing Security, Compliance, and Usability: Your Secure Message Center FAQs

Did you know that in the event of a hack, your customers are more likely to blame your organization, rather than the hacker? It sounds outrageous, but it is true. If nothing else, this raises the stakes for ensuring that your organization is on top of security measures, and that those measures are used.

They are used…right?

Maybe. Or maybe not–especially if those measures are complicated and time-consuming, and get in the way of getting work done.

You can see where this is going.

Security, compliance and usability are three elements that often work against each other. Many organizations, particularly those in regulated industries, must adhere to stringent compliance requirements. But if security is complicated to use, it won’t be used, leaving an organization wide open for a breach, and an ensuing damage to customer trust. In addition to the PR, regulatory, and financial nightmares that follow a breach, odds are that a breach won’t inspire confidence among your existing and potential customers. To add insult to injury, according to a survey, 64% of respondents said they would blame a company for a breach over the hacker. Read that again.

Staying secure and compliant while delivering a smooth, friction-free internal workflow and customer experience is a difficult equation to balance. But there is a solution.

In the “Meet the Secure Message Center” series, I spoke to DataMotion’s secure message center, and how it has helped numerous organizations in their quest to balance security, compliance, efficiency, and usability. In part one, I explained what the secure message center is, and how it works. In part two, we discussed several real-life customer case studies where integrating the secure message center created smoother internal workflows and an improved customer experience. In part three, we shared potential use cases for organizations in both regulated and non-regulated industries. In today’s final installment, we’ll wrap up the series with a few commonly asked questions.

What is the secure message center?

In short, the DataMotion secure message center is a flexible, highly-secure communications solution. It allows your organization to easily, securely, and compliantly communicate with customers, vendors, and partners. Security is especially important when exchanging Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and other sensitive, confidential messages and documents. The secure message center can be integrated into your existing systems and workflows leveraging our APIs and connectors, implemented as part of an omnichannel approach, or as a stand-alone solution. Additionally, the secure message center is part of DataMotion’s governed, zero-trust core, providing top-notch security for your data.

How does the secure message center balance security, compliance, and usability?

The secure message center connects an organization’s back-end systems (including call centers, CRMs, case management, and email) to client-facing mobile and web apps and portals, enabling easy to use and secure communications. The actual workflow will depend on your existing processes, but as I outlined in the first series installment, the flow can be as easy as listed below:

  • Client logs in to the customer portal or mobile app
  • Client creates a message (potentially including sensitive information, such as account numbers)
  • After creating a message, your client attaches documents and hits send
  • Once the message and documents are sent, they are protected by military-grade encryption
  • The message and documents are securely accessed and responded to by an agent or employee from their internal system or business process

Once the steps are completed, both the client and authorized agents have access to this message and any previous exchanges within a secure repository. Additionally, all message activity is logged & tracked for compliance, which will delight your compliance officer and auditors.

I’m not in a regulated industry. Do I need the secure message center?

Fair question. But a better question is, “What would happen if this information was leaked outside my department or company?”

You might not be legally required to adhere to privacy regulations. That said, it is certainly a good idea to send and store confidential and sensitive communications, documents and data in the equivalent of a digital armored car and secure lockbox. This is especially true if the experience is easy and transparent for all involved. Regulations aside, there are many types of confidential communications, including proprietary design discussions and client information, that should be transmitted and stored securely. And let’s not forget communications to and from human resources, such as performance reviews, confidential surveys and forms, onboarding information (which can include bank routing numbers), etc.

Additionally, while the secure message center simplifies the secure communication experience for all users, DataMotion’s military-grade encryption protects your messages and documents while in transit and at rest. In other words, in the event of a breach, your information is not readable by the data thieves.

To sum up, here is how I look at it. What if you were to accidentally leave the paper version of something when packing up your laptop bag at, say, a coffee shop or an airport? You would panic when you realized it went missing. If so, you need simple, secure exchange for that type of document and others like it.

How will implementing the secure message center affect our existing IT infrastructure?

As a wise person once said, you do you.

The secure message center is highly flexible, and the integration process generally differs across organizations, with a range of APIs and connectors available to seamlessly stitch into the right place in your workflows. Implementation also depends on your current architecture and any other solutions you may wish to add. For instance, one of the customers I discussed in the second installment simplified their environment by consolidating the number of apps they needed to support after they implemented the secure message center. Other customers were able to integrate the secure message center into their workflows with no additional changes—save, of course, changes that resulted from a smoother, frictionless workflow and fewer steps for senders and recipients.

Do I need to re-train my staff?

Probably not. As we mentioned above, the secure message center is designed to seamlessly integrate into existing workflows, so it depends on your process. Your staff will likely need to learn about a new feature instead of a new system. However, if you’re implementing the solution to simplify your workflow, you’ll likely just need to cover the shorter, smoother process steps.

Really, the only thing your staff (and customers) will need to get trained on is what to do with all of the extra time they save from simple secure communications!

My organization is part of the healthcare ecosystem. Is the secure message center an option for us?

If an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is involved in sending or receiving clinical data, we strongly recommend you learn more about Direct Secure Messaging for clinical exchange and interoperability. That said, however, health insurance companies can for sure benefit from the secure message center! In the second installment of this series, I spoke about a health insurance start-up whose process for sending secure communications involved a lot of steps for both agents and members and forced members to navigate an unfamiliar third-party portal (and likely, also forcing these customers to question all of their life decisions that led them to that portal.) Integrating the secure message center created an easier, shorter, and smoother experience for everyone involved, drastically reducing both frustration and the steps and time required to exchange information.

Key Takeaways

Implementing security into your organization’s digital exchange is more important than ever; doing so in a manner that is simple and efficient and allows your staff and customers to communicate in ways that are natural to them, is just as important. DataMotion’s secure message center offers a number of critically important functions and helpful benefits—let’s revisit our key takeaways from part one of this series:

  • Frictionless Customer Experience Enables easy-to-use and secure communications as part of your existing customer-facing portal and/or web and mobile applications. No need for customers to go to a third-party portal for secure message and document exchange.
  • Increased Efficiency Employees can access previous message exchanges and, without gathering physical documents or going through additional security steps, quickly and securely take action.
  • Versatile and Integrable The secure message center seamlessly integrates with, and securely connects, back-end systems, including email, contact centers, case management, etc.

Features

  • Ironclad Security DataMotion uses a zero-trust, governed database and military-grade encryption, helping to keep data secure and your organization compliant.
  • Ease of Use The secure message center improves the security and usability of systems by enabling single sign on for customers, therefore eliminating additional passwords. It also integrates with your current workflow–there is no need to retrain staff.
  • Co-branded Portal A pre-built message center UI is available that can be customized with your organization’s logo, colors and branding.
  • Tracking Messages and documents are logged and tracked, with reporting available.

Still have questions, or are you ready to get started? Please reach out to me personally, or contact our team of security experts to learn more about the secure message center and how it can assist your organization with balancing security, compliance, and usability. We can also arrange to set up a quick demo. Additionally, I encourage you to follow DataMotion on LinkedIn and Twitter for security-related industry news, thought leadership, and more.

We’re looking forward to helping you get started!

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Protecting Sensitive Information on the Daily: Meet DataMotion’s Secure Message Center 1024 404 Christian Grunkemeyer

Protecting Sensitive Information on the Daily: Meet DataMotion’s Secure Message Center

Strong security around communications while staying within regulatory compliance?

Or

Providing a simple, efficient, and convenient process for internal and external users?

Why choose one when you can have both?

If you’ve been keeping up with the Meet the Secure Message Center series, you’ve learned a few basics about DataMotion’s secure message center. You’ve also read several case studies where the secure message center solution helped organizations in regulated industries transform and modernize internal processes while improving the customer experience by enabling secure, convenient communications. Compliance is king in some verticals and can cause royal pain points, particularly where customer experience is concerned. Security and compliance measures don’t have to hinder the user experience. It is entirely possible to have a simple, frictionless experience for staff, caretakers and customers alike—while staying fully secure and compliant.

The glittering crown jewels of regulatory compliance may or may not be a driving factor behind your organization implementing secure exchange. There might be a number of other considerations, including strengthening security to protect non-regulated communications containing sensitive information that are part of your regular workday. In today’s blog entry, we’ll follow up on the case studies from part two of this series and explore a few scenarios where your organization can benefit from incorporating the secure message center into your workflow.

Secure Exchange on the Regular

Cutting down on paperwork. Keeping projects under wraps. Protecting privacy for vulnerable populations. Below are several examples of instances where making secure digital exchange part of your daily routine just makes sense, whether or not your organization is bound by compliance.

A Resource for Human Resources HR tasks, such as onboarding new employees, can involve a whole lot of paperwork. More often than not, that paperwork falls into the “sensitive information” category. Documents include a photo ID, Social Security number, and bank routing numbers. The secure message center helps you skip the physical paperwork (which no one likes anyway, let’s be honest) while protecting this sensitive information. This solution is especially helpful when onboarding remote employees.

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Locking the Design Vault You might be creating the next big food preservative. Or maybe you’re updating a forklift with new safety features.  Perhaps you’re formulating the next “it” fragrance that will roll out in Fashion Week giftbags. Before you have Hollywood’s A-list endorsing your new scent, you’ll want to keep those specs, formulas, and designs secure. The secure message center’s secure exchange and storage functions will keep confidential team and partner exchanges under lock and key.

Addressing Privacy Policies Whether or not your company is subject to data privacy regulations, securing client data is a sensible idea. You might be part of a retail operation, a not-for-profit, or a university fundraising department that transmits financial account numbers, names, addresses, places of business, and phone numbers. Regardless of your organization type or industry, you’ll want to protect this sensitive data and information…and your organization’s reputation.

Ensuring Privacy for Insurance Policyholders The insurance industry is wide spanning and highly regulated, covering everything from health to auto to home to life and more, with sensitive information exchanged on a regular basis. In addition to account numbers and other personal identifiable information (PII), field agents and customers will need to securely exchange additional document types, such as photos. When policyholders reach out for assistance, it is essential that these securely-sent and just-as-securely-stored communications are easily accessible by those who are authorized and available to help.

Caseworker Communications Those who work with vulnerable populations must ensure that addresses, medical and legal records, court dates, and other PII stays secure, for both the protection of clients and for regulatory compliance considerations. The secure message center is an excellent solution to enable secure caseworker communications with entities such as schools, attorneys, doctors, or social services, with both parties able to access previously-exchanged messages and documents.

Centering on a Message of Security and Compliance

We’ve now covered a few instances where secure exchange makes perfect sense for any organization. There are countless other scenarios, with possibilities across industries and organization types. Anyone can find a million and one reasons to consider making the secure message center part of your process, including:

  • Fast, secure, and simple document and message exchange
  • Military-grade encryption protects and secures sensitive information contained in your messages and documents while in transit and storage
  • DataMotion’s zero-trust approach adds to your data’s security
  • Versatile platform connects your back-end systems, including call centers, CRM systems, email, and more
  • Single sign on (SSO) allows customers and staff to access the secure message center with their regular credentials rather than create new usernames and passwords
  • Cobranded webmail portal includes your branding guidelines
  • Message notifications let users know that new messages and responses are in their inbox
  • SafeTLS message delivery allows you to securely deliver messages directly to recipient’s inbox
  • Detailed message logging, tracking, and reporting

In our next series installment, we’ll provide a series overview and answer a few questions we frequently receive. To learn more about the secure message center and its many benefits, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally, or to our larger team of security experts. Also, please follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for DataMotion news, updates, and more.

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Danger for Data, Part Three: Remedies for Risk 736 310 Bob Janacek

Danger for Data, Part Three: Remedies for Risk

In the first two installments of our “Danger for Data” series, we covered the risks of data breaches and where they live in an organization, focusing on both the IT side and the business side.  It’s clear — the question isn’t whether a breach will occur but when. Our mission now is to equip you with the tools to safeguard your data fortress.

In this third installment, we’ll reveal various strategies, outlining how to prevent a data breach, shield your company from security threats and, in some cases, significantly improve efficiency in existing workflows and daily tasks. Discover bring your own device (BYOD) security best practices and why due diligence is critical to your security strategy.

How to Protect Your Company From Cyberattacks

You can prevent security threats and defend your business with various effective strategies, from securing legacy systems to prioritizing security measures at every stage to outsmart potential breaches. By adopting these approaches, you empower your defense against cyber perils, fortify your data fortress and ensure your business’s safety and success.

Employee Training and Awareness

Your employees are the first line of defense against cyber threats. It’s essential to equip them with the knowledge and awareness to identify and respond to potential risks. Employee training and awareness programs help cultivate a security-conscious workforce that recognizes phishing attempts, practices safe browsing habits and understands the importance of safeguarding sensitive data.

Regular training sessions and interactive simulations make your team a formidable barrier against data breaches. By nurturing a culture of vigilance and accountability, you foster an environment where every staff member actively contributes to protecting your company’s digital assets. Employee training and awareness prevent breaches and elevate your organization’s cybersecurity posture.

Fortifying Legacy Systems

Navigating the challenges of legacy systems doesn’t have to be a puzzle. While replacing them entirely might seem overwhelming, there are effective ways to safeguard your aging infrastructure. These systems, often resistant to change, require tailored approaches for security. The first thing to do is patch the legacy system to bring it up-to-date and fix known vulnerabilities.

Consider secure data exchange platforms to integrate legacy systems seamlessly into modern workflows or quarantine them to minimize network exposure. While this is certainly not an exhaustive list of your options, it does provide an excellent place to start so you can begin formulating your strategy to safely extend the value of these systems.

Smart Permissions and Protocols

Permissions and protocols are critical throughout an enterprise on both the IT and business sides. By establishing expectations and guidelines, leaders in any department can mitigate the risk of a data breach from several factors, including malice and carelessness.

Consider your development team’s data permissions — a pivotal aspect that’s often underestimated. While granting broad access may seem expedient, this leniency can backfire. All it takes is just one employee making a mistake or one intelligent thief sneaking in. Opt for a “need-to-know” approach, assigning permissions only to those essential to specific folders. Regularly audit and update permissions, ensuring restricted access remains a constant practice. Additionally, organize your data so the folders match people’s roles, ensuring only the necessary data is exposed to them.

What’s outlined above is very similar to a strategy called “zero trust.” At its core, zero trust is an internal-facing security strategy focused on hypervigilance around systems, information access and who is on your systems. A good example is White House security — someone might be a vetted, trusted entity, but that doesn’t mean they should have full access to your networks or systems.

Similarly, in a BYOD setup, strict expectations and security measures must be woven into a comprehensive policy. Determine eligibility, acceptable devices — such as laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets — data access rights and ownership protocols to create an airtight defense. Still, it’s important to note that applying BYOD policies have pros and cons. This policy may reduce business costs and increase employee efficiency. However, it can also make your enterprise vulnerable to a data breach if you do not put forth expectations and appropriate security measures as part of a comprehensive policy.

Here are a few things to consider when embarking upon a BYOD program:

  • Who is eligible to participate?
  • What are the recovery procedures if the device is lost/stolen?
  • What are acceptable devices and operating systems?
  • Who has access to what company data?
  • What is the ownership of information on each device?
  • What constitutes appropriate use?
  • Adopting a zero-trust strategy.

Thorough Due Diligence

In cybersecurity, taking the time for meticulous due diligence is a non-negotiable step toward safeguarding your company’s digital landscape. Whether you’re integrating an API into your solution or evaluating potential vendors, each decision carries weight in fortifying your defense against data breaches.

Suppose you’re considering using an API as part of your organization’s solution. In that case, you’ve likely already done some research to determine the type of API you need, potential vendors and whether or not they have ample documentation. You may have even looked into the security of the APIs you’re considering using — and if you haven’t, you should.

As I mentioned in part one of this series, choosing an API with SSO authentication, strong encryption and rate limits are a few good factors to look for that will reduce your risk of a breach. However, it’s equally vital to scrutinize the level of support you’ll receive. Probe into the specifics and ask questions like:

  • What kind of support will they provide?
  • Who is responsible for updates and bug fixes?
  • Can you try a free version of the API to see how it works with your existing systems before committing?

Exploring these dimensions ensures a well-rounded understanding before you commit.

Protect Your Data in Motion

When evaluating the security of your organization’s data exchange solutions, internal and external threats pose challenges that demand a united front from your IT and business teams. In an era of heightened security stakes and evolving compliance demands, aligning your organization’s goals with IT-driven secure exchange solutions becomes imperative.

Here are a few examples of why the business should work with IT for better secure exchange solutions:

  • The ghost in the fax machine: Traditional fax machines may seem innocuous, but they harbor a lingering risk. Confidential client data and critical account information can be easily accessed from their memory, posing a perpetual threat. And the “private” data you send often sits in plain view in the middle of the recipient’s office.
  • “Confidential” is a canard: Consider this — you send an email or receive an automated message after a client updates their account. It might have had a bold “Confidential” in the subject and a promise of confidentiality in the signature. But these so-called “security measures” are akin to those “Do Not Remove Under Penalty of Law” tags on new pillows — ineffective. Unless you sent that information via an encrypted, secure exchange method, your message is anything but secure or compliant. Encryption can make your information truly confidential and therefore useless to a potential thief, who would have been better off stealing pillows.
  • Stumbling around security: A clunky interface or the requirement of more than a couple of steps to exchange information securely is a surefire way for your security system to hinder productivity and for people to bypass it to get work done. This causes well-meaning employees to lead the business into a nasty data breach.

There are simple, secure exchange options that won’t burden your development team or blow your budget — with some even designed to accelerate your business. For example, to provide a seamless, productive and secure experience for your customers, clients and employees, consider adding secure exchange into the systems they already use. With modern REST APIs and secure protocols, your development team can quickly embed message center functionality to allow easy, secure digital exchanges between your customer-facing apps and internal customer service systems.

For a turnkey option, consider implementing a pre-built secure mailbox. With a secure email content filter, you’ll have a secure system that scans every email and attachment your organization sends for sensitive information. The filter will automatically encrypt messages when necessary — thus, protecting your enterprise against human errors.

Or going back to those legacy systems that send out automated emails and documents containing sensitive customer information — remember to protect those exchanges with integrated secure message delivery functionality. The best part about all of these options? None involve rip-and-replace or require building a secure exchange solution from scratch. Simply evaluate your current solutions and processes, determine what kind of solution is best for your organization and then adopt your chosen solution where necessary.

Prioritize Security From the Start

Simply put, when your organization deals with sensitive customer, client or patient information, security should always be top of mind. In fact, in recent years, there’s been a push for developers to “shift left” and move security testing earlier in software development cycles.

According to Google, this concept’s rationale is that a security flaw typically results from several interacting factors rather than a single error. By moving security testing to the beginning and throughout the development cycle, developers can detect faults earlier and fix them in smaller batches rather than en masse at the end of the process. In short, operating with a “security-first” mindset results in secure systems and better efficiency.

This mindset extends to your enterprise’s business side, encompassing staff security training and multifactor authentication (MFA). MFA, which includes robust passwords and additional authentication steps, is the primary defense for safeguarding critical data stored in employee emails, messaging systems and other accounts.

Training your staff on creating a password is a big step toward improved security. Staff should create strong passwords that mix numbers, symbols and upper and lower-case letters — ideally avoiding commonly-known cues such as a birthday or a pet’s name. Here are a few tips on creating — and remembering — strong passwords.

Regular Security Audits

Regular security audits are like giving your company’s data a protective shield. These audits involve systematic reviews of your systems, processes and protocols to identify vulnerabilities and potential weak points. By doing so, you can proactively detect and address security gaps before they become entry points for cyber attacks.

Think of security audits as your digital insurance policy. They ensure that your organization’s defenses remain up-to-date and effective against evolving threats. Regular checks provide valuable insights, helping you stay ahead in cybersecurity.

Safeguarding Your Data With DataMotion

In the dynamic landscape of data security, knowing how to prevent security threats is a necessity. Throughout this series, we’ve unveiled actionable remedies to fortify your defenses and navigate the complex realm of cyber threats.

Take control and champion a security-first approach with DataMotion’s secure exchange solutions. We reduce complexity and costs, providing you with a secure communication experience tailored to your needs. Our mission is to empower your business and ensure we handle your data with the utmost care.

Safeguarding sensitive information is no longer a daunting task — it’s an opportunity to enhance your organization’s efficiency and customer satisfaction. With the new DataMotion app, you can securely scan and share documents on the go.

Be sure to read the other parts of this series:

Updated September 8, 2023

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Danger for Data, Part Two: Seven Pain Points in Your Processes 786 310 Bob Janacek

Danger for Data, Part Two: Seven Pain Points in Your Processes

As the old saying goes, there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. And if your organization deals with exchanging sensitive information, you can add data breach to that list.

Data breaches occur at an alarming rate, their causes ranging from high-profile cyberattacks, to breakdowns in workflow, to simple human error. No matter the cause, the effects of a breach can be disastrous to an organization and careers alike. While most modern, high-profile breaches are tech-heavy, a breach is not solely the IT department’s problem. To the contrary—according to a Gartner report, it is predicted that by 2024, 75% of CEOs may be held personally liable for a data breach. While a CEO may not be directly responsible for a breach, per se, this is an instance of a one-way train ticket to Accountability-ville. All aboard, including senior management! *train whistle, leaves the station*

While not every breach will make front page headlines or the 24-hour cable news cycle, organizations should expect a breach at some point and plan a defensive strategy. As I mentioned in the previous installment of this series, it is not a question of if a breach will occur, but rather, where and when.

In this installment of the Risk of a Data Breach series, I’ll focus on costs of a potential breach, and where analysts and operations can evaluate potential risks within their business, notably the people and processes associated with the exchange of sensitive data and documents.

School is in Session

Let’s start with the definitions of a hack versus a breach. The two may seem like the same thing, but there are important nuances. A hack is an intentional, malicious attack against your IT systems by a third party with the intent of stealing and selling information, blackmail, or some other self-serving use. A breach (which can result from a hack) occurs when information is left unsecured, exposing your data and documents to unauthorized viewers both internally and potentially the outside world. This article will focus on the latter.

The Business End of a Breach

The average cost of a breach is in the millions, with healthcare leading the way in bearing the highest breach-related costs, $7.1 million on average. The cost of a data breach for a business extends well beyond additional budgeting for the IT department. Immediate costs include enormous legal fees and regulatory fines (particularly for issues such as a HIPAA violation). Additionally, costs add up over time with the risk of lost current and future revenue stemming from bad PR and a loss of customer trust. You might think you are covered with insurance, but think again. Insurance payments typically only cover $500,000-$5 million per incident. If costs exceed your coverage limit, the business is responsible for the rest. Case in point:  check out the fines associated with GDPR violations. Google doled out a cool 50 million Euros in 2019 for GDPR violations. That might be pocket change for an entity such as Google, but it is still a significant amount for most companies. To add insult to financial injury, after a particularly high-profile breach, a company might be associated with the breach rather than for the products and services they offer. Two examples of this are Target and Uber.

With high stakes for your reputation and bottom-line, as well as for the overall ethics of keeping sensitive data protected, reducing your business’ risk of a data breach is an enterprise-wide responsibility.

The Root of the Matter

A data breach has causes other than sloppy code, network loopholes, or poor defenses against malware. There are many other ways that data can make its way out of your organization and into public view. Knowing the processes that exist in your business that are at a greater risk of a data breach is step one towards increasing your organization’s security.

Unsecure Exchange Methods Some of our most tried-and-true communications methods no longer cut it. One example is the fax machine. Faxing may have been cutting-edge technology back in 1843 when Alexander Bain developed the first prototype, but no more. Not only do fax machines transmit unencrypted data over a public network, but their output is often in the open. Another example is your organization’s not-entirely-secure enterprise email system. Yes, access to mailboxes is password-protected, but does it encrypt sensitive messages and documents in ways that your employees and customers want to use?

Password Factors Password protection is great, except when it isn’t. While weak passwords are a problem, according to Windows Central, the majority of account hacks result not just from weak passwords but also from the lack of two-factor authentication. Essentially, because a password was the only line of defense, a hacker was able to grab that password and access a system because they only needed one form of identification.

Access Who should have access to your data and who really does? If you’re not employing a Zero Trust policy, you may be leaving the vault door wide open for stolen or compromised data, whether in the case of malicious intent or simple human error.

BYOD Policies Even before the meteoric rise in employees clocking in from home, a number of organizations allowed staff to use their own devices in addition to (or instead of) company devices—often with no accompanying user policy or documented expectations. Any device where employees conduct both personal and company business can compromise security, including that of sensitive data and documents. In addition to company-sanctioned devices, auxiliary devices, such as thumb drives, may be compromised, offering another hole for your data to escape.

Human Error People make mistakes—it’s a fact of life. An unattended laptop may result in device theft and access to data—especially if data was saved locally. Sometimes, a document is sent to the wrong email address or fax number. Speaking of common errors, who among us has never left a faxed/copied document on the machine, allowing others to see that confidential data? (And people look. Even if they say otherwise.)

Easy Way Around Security In addition to the common human errors I just described, employees may engage in less-than-secure practices to save time. For instance, if an employee has a full plate and deadlines, they may opt for the path of least resistance, particularly if your organization’s secure exchange and storage methods have a clunky interface. You can bet on shortcuts if exchanges require additional steps such as logging into separate portals.  Like the sand in an hourglass, so slips security protocol.

“But We’ve Always Done it this Way”

The above phrase is highly dangerous to an enterprise for a myriad of reasons. In addition to stifling new ideas and workflows, resting on your BWADITW laurels can set your organization up for terrific security failures. This attitude enables the above risk elements I described;  in particular, continuing with exchange methods that are not secure or inconvenient, such as regular emails simply marked “confidential” and multiple portal logins for secure message and document exchange. Resting on laurels might indicate that management is asleep at the wheel, not anticipating or planning for potential human errors and breakdowns in workflow. BWADITW invokes the meme of the dog surrounded by flames, sipping on coffee and saying “this is fine”.  This attitude impedes the case for research and investment in systems upgrades, including a secure exchange system that does more than just tick a compliance checkbox and actually gets used.

This approach to cybersecurity is a whole lot o’ nope.*

Just because your organization hasn’t had a data breach yet doesn’t mean the risk isn’t there. Integrating data protection in ways that are most natural to your employees, systems, customers and partners ensures that your information security strategy becomes part of your data exchange workflows. While a secure exchange method might not prevent a breach, implementing one that gets in the way of workflows, productivity and customer experience will elevate the chance that simpler, non-secure methods of exchange will be used, greatly increasing your risk of a hack or data breach. If hackers and thieves cannot decipher the content, then they cannot use or sell the data, making it useless.

We’ve now discussed where the risks of a data breach lie within your organization, both on the IT and business sides. In the next installment of this series, we’ll explore how your organization can improve secure exchange practices and avoid both the risk of a data breach and the compliance nightmares that can accompany these events.

Be Sure To Read the Other Parts of This Series:

Sources

*Image is courtesy of imgflip.com

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Danger for Data, Part One: 7 Back-End Breach Risk Factors 786 310 Bob Janacek

Danger for Data, Part One: 7 Back-End Breach Risk Factors

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center’s 2022 Data Breach report, 1,802 data compromises were reported in 2022 in the United States, just 60 shy of 2021’s total. That number of data compromises translates to over 422 million affected individuals. Additionally, the average cost of a data breach worldwide in 2023 rose from $4.35 million to $4.45 million.

As such, many organizations want to know how they can reduce their data breach risks and which of their current processes put them most at risk. In the first part of this blog series, we will cover the top five risk-prone areas that developers and software engineers should be aware of. We’ll also discuss the causes and different types of data breaches that can occur within organizations.

In parts two and three, we’ll focus on people-oriented processes that put you at risk of a breach, following up with actionable tips, recommendations and data breach prevention tools for organizations to protect themselves and their customers’ data.

How Do Data Breaches Happen?

There are multiple ways data breaches can happen, including hacking, phishing, malware attacks, inside threats and weak security measures.

Hackers may take advantage of software and system vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to important information. Malware, such as viruses or ransomware, can infiltrate systems and steal data. Social engineering tactics, like phishing and baiting, involve deceiving individuals into revealing their login details. Insufficient physical and network security measures, weak passwords and unpatched software can also lead to data breaches.

A minor vulnerability can turn into a major data breach catastrophe in the digital realm. Whether you’re a business, government entity or individual, the exposure of sensitive information can lead to costly complications.

Often, individuals underestimate the prevalence of modern security threats due to a lack of awareness. As such, it’s crucial to understand the different types of data breaches:

  • Ransomware: Malicious software encrypts user data, demanding payment for decryption.
  • Malware: Harmful software infiltrates systems to access, steal or manipulate data.
  • Phishing: Deceptive emails or messages trick users into revealing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links.
  • Password guessing: Hackers use trial and error to uncover weak passwords and gain unauthorized access.
  • Stolen information: Cybercriminals physically steal devices or data storage containing valuable information.
  • Recording keystrokes: Malware records user keystrokes to capture login credentials and sensitive data.
  • Distributed Denial of Service: Attackers flood a network with traffic, overwhelming it and causing service disruption.
  • Unauthorized access: This can occur due to weak passwords, compromised credentials or vulnerabilities in software.
  • Insider threat: This can occur when disgruntled employees misuse their credentials to compromise and steal data.
  • Physical theft or loss: This is associated with the physical theft or loss of devices such as laptops, smartphones or storage media.
  • Third-party breaches: Security vulnerabilities in third-party vendors, suppliers or services can expose your organization to data breaches.
  • Shared accounts: Sharing credentials or using shared service accounts makes it challenging to trace actions back to specific individuals, increasing the risk of breaches.
  • Structured query language injection: One of the most common types of data breaches is when an attacker injects malicious code that allows them to manipulate the database query and gain access to sensitive information.

These breaches exploit vulnerabilities to steal personal and confidential information or hold an organization hostage to extract a ransom. Data breaches ultimately lead to financial loss and reputational damage.

Back-End Processes Putting You at Risk

Your organization may be at risk of data breaches due to various system and application vulnerabilities. Some of the examples of these security vulnerabilities include:

1. Outdated, Legacy Systems

Legacy systems are tremendously costly. These systems often operate on outdated hardware and software, which can be challenging and expensive to maintain. The cost of finding replacement parts, skilled personnel and compatible software can add up quickly.

Costs aside, legacy systems pose an elevated risk of a data breach due to outdated code, obsolete standards and outdated methods and procedures. An example of this is the use of passwords in clear text and relying on a common service account for operational tasks. These vulnerabilities, combined with a scarcity of qualified personnel to maintain them, create an ideal environment for hackers to exploit.

Despite the risks, many organizations continue to rely on these outdated systems. The reluctance to update or replace isn’t from nonchalance — this is usually because the systems were created for a specific purpose. Removing them could lead to data loss or an inability for an organization to execute critical processes.

2. Vulnerable Data Access

Would you give the keys to your house to just anyone in your circle? Probably not, because you understand not everyone should have that kind of access. There is no reason for your college roommate to have your keys or your third cousin. If you wouldn’t give everyone unlimited access to your house, why would you grant every employee access to all the data in your organization?

Just as giving away house keys opens the door to serious problems, playing fast and loose with data permissions is risky, too. This isn’t merely because of the risk of malicious intent by insiders — which costs organizations an average of about $4.90 million in 2023, or 9.5% more than the average $4.45 million cost of a global data breach — but rather the much higher risk of sensitive data being mishandled internally.

So, just as you carefully limit access to your home, data permissions demand similar vigilance. Access control levels (ACLs) are crucial for granting appropriate access. Your team may need higher access levels, but sensitive data should remain off-limits to others.

It is important to periodically review access levels and question the necessity of those levels to minimize the risk of unauthorized access resulting from ACL misconfigurations, oversight or mishandling. These reviews should be conducted by a third party who is not involved in the security process.

3. Sloppy Code and Insecure APIs

As a developer, you are notoriously busy. There is almost always a new product or update to release in a tight timeframe while simultaneously fixing bugs and improving performance. High stress and low bandwidth can lead to errors slipping under your radar. If you aren’t given the time to rigorously test your code, your organization runs the risk of releasing a project with security holes, thus increasing the number of vulnerabilities and the risk of a data breach.

Vulnerabilities in your codebase and poorly secured APIs create opportunities for cyber assailants. These weaknesses could range from inadequate input validation to a lack of proper encryption. Flaws in your code and APIs can lead to unauthorized data access, manipulation or even full-scale breaches. The cost isn’t just financial — the aftermath might entail reputational damage and regulatory penalties. There are several real-life examples of data breaches due to insecure and unregulated APIs.

Knowing that big development projects are time-consuming and typically involve features outside of your bandwidth, you might consider using third-party APIs. This option can help curtail the time and financial burden associated with building a project from scratch, while you benefit from the expertise the API company brings. But don’t gamble on your data security — do your diligence and research your vendor and the API you’re planning to use before coding them in.

In short, selecting APIs that follow proper security measures is critical. APIs that use OAuth or SAML authentication, strong encryption such as AES 256 and TLS, and those with rate limits all reduce the risk of a breach. Choosing an API that uses a zero-trust model, while unfortunately rather rare, is also another best practice to enhance the security of your project.

4. No Protections for Data in Motion

Most people understand the risks associated with sending an email, including phishing, malware and ransomware, to name just a few. The topic of inbound email security is frequently discussed, but we’ll examine a less-discussed risk — sending sensitive information in an outbound email.

When you send an email, that message passes through many systems and network locations. Think of the process as traveling abroad. As a tourist, you would carry your driver’s license, insurance card, credit card and passport. If you are marked as a tourist, an experienced pick-pocket can steal these items without anyone noticing. But by taking steps to secure your belongings, such as with an RFID wallet clipped to your belt, your chances of theft significantly decrease.

Protecting your outbound data is a similar concept. Just as you’d act to secure your documents while traveling, securing any sensitive information sent from your systems is equally important. Like a pick-pocket, a capable hacker can intercept emails and access sensitive information before you even notice a problem.

Taking the proper measures to protect your sensitive data diminishes both the threat and impact of email interception. To enhance the security of your emails and safeguard against phishing and malware attacks, it’s crucial to utilize proper transport layer security (TLS) encryption, end-to-end encryption, S/MIME and secure email gateways. However, it’s also necessary to protect non-email-based data in motion, like electronic data interchange and web traffic. In addition to TLS encryption, you should follow other best practices, including SSL/TLS certificates, HTTPS implementation, virtual private network usage, multi-factor authorization deployment and network segmentation.

For instance, using an email encryption service renders the content in your exchanges useless to hackers, greatly decreasing the chance of a breach. Utilizing options such as secure email, content filters and customer channels for secure messaging can lower your risk and accelerate your business.

5. Lack of Encryption Between Frontend and Backend Applications

The seamless interaction between frontend and backend applications is crucial for smooth operations. However, overlooking the encryption of communication between these components can open a gateway for potential data breaches.

Cyber attackers can exploit this vulnerability through man-in-the-middle attacks, intercepting and tampering with the data flowing between frontend and backend systems. Organizations inadvertently expose sensitive information to prying eyes by failing to implement strong encryption protocols.

Unencrypted communications provide a fertile ground for hackers to eavesdrop, steal data or inject malicious code — jeopardizing the confidentiality and integrity of critical information.

6. Unpatched Software

Picture unpatched software as an unlocked door in an otherwise secure fortress — a glaring vulnerability that cyber adversaries are all too eager to exploit. When organizations neglect to apply timely software updates and patches, they inadvertently create a gateway for hackers to infiltrate their systems.

Hackers are adept at identifying known vulnerabilities in outdated software versions. They exploit these weaknesses to gain unauthorized access, manipulate data and even exfiltrate sensitive information. Think of it as a thief finding an unguarded entrance to a vault.

7. Security as an Afterthought

There’s a well-known phrase that says if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Perfect examples of this include failure to assess overall risk factors and proactively identifying and addressing software vulnerabilities before they become an issue. Another back-end breach risk factor is falsely assuming that your organization is not susceptible to a breach. Building your solutions without security as top-of-mind invites hackers in and you’ll find yourself in a race against the clock to find uninvited guests in your production systems before they gain control of sensitive data.

Make no mistake — it’s not a question of if you’ll suffer a data breach, but rather, a question of when. Being proactive about protecting your systems and data is much better than being reactive.

Fortify Your Defenses, Choose DataMotion for Secure Data Exchange

In an interconnected digital landscape, your data’s safety is crucial. Our exploration of seven back-end breach risk factors underscores the urgency of modernizing data protection. Ignoring these threats may expose your organization to avoidable risks. Don’t let complacency compromise your security.

As you analyze your current practices, remember that prevention is key. Stay vigilant against data breaches by adopting cutting-edge data breach prevention tools. DataMotion offers a comprehensive suite of services — honed by two decades of experience — to fortify your digital ecosystem.

Contact us online for more information on how you can upgrade your data protection.

Be sure to read the other parts of this series:

Updated September 8, 2023

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Securing Customer Data Amidst the Coronavirus Push for a Greater Digital Experience 560 221 Bob Janacek

Securing Customer Data Amidst the Coronavirus Push for a Greater Digital Experience

As we enter into our fifth month working from home during the Coronavirus Pandemic, we felt it was a good time to discuss the impact the virus has already had on some businesses and what lasting impacts it will likely have on businesses and organizations in the future – especially when it comes to improving the digital experiences they offer their customers. We sat down with DataMotion CEO, Bob Janacek to hear his thoughts on the topic. Our questions are in bold.

First things first, I hope you and your family have been staying safe and healthy during this time. Like many other organizations throughout the country, DataMotion has been working from home the past several months. Can you elaborate on how the Coronavirus impacted the way the company works and communicates with one another?

Bob Janacek: Fortunately, DataMotion has always been a cloud-first company, both in our product offering and also in the way that we run our business.  Our customers utilize our cloud-based APIs and software as a service from anywhere, so that hasn’t changed.  And as a company, our employees use cloud-based services to get their work done.  We’re heavily invested in Microsoft’s cloud stack, including Office 365, Teams and Dynamics 365.  Those work just as well for employees working from home as they do from the office.

It sounds like there was a relatively seamless switch for the company to remote communications. I can imagine that some companies, such as those that frequently have in-person interactions with customers and clients, had some trouble adjusting the way they communicate internally and externally. What kinds of challenges have these companies had to navigate?

Bob Janacek:  States have implemented various restrictions to increase social distancing and help combat the spread of the Coronavirus.  Among our customers, especially for those in financial services, insurance and healthcare, the most disruptive event is the reduction or elimination of face to face visits. So, business that used to get done in person, such as opening up an account or CD in a bank branch, or face to face interaction with an insurance agent, is difficult if not impossible. This makes it harder for customers to do business with these organizations, damaging their brand and reputation, and affecting their bottom line.

Can you give an example of a customer that DataMotion helped modernize and secure the way they do business in response to the Coronavirus?

Bob Janacek: We’ve helped a wide variety of enterprises during the pandemic, ranging from financial services firms in the wealth management, consumer loan and retail banking sectors to healthcare companies providing services for clinical trials, pharmaceutical benefits and care coordination. In each case, they turned to DataMotion to make it easier to do remote business with their customers. The most common use case is API integration of our DataMotion PaaS to add secure message and document exchange after the login of their customer portal or mobile app, and inside the CRM and contact center solutions their employees use to service their customers.

So, based off of this customer story and other stories that you can think of, what tips or best practices can you give for other companies who are still trying to find a way to do business in this challenging environment?

Bob Janacek: Living through a pandemic is understandably causing people to experience a great deal of stress, hardship and uncertainty. Organizations that are easy to do business with, especially in these challenging times, reduce customer stress, build their loyalty and position themselves to grow. There’s been a lot of talk about the things businesses need to do to adapt in the current and post-pandemic world. Having a high competency in doing business remotely is often at the top of this list. Many leading organizations are taking this opportunity to up their customer experience by offering simple, remote, digital ways for their customers to do business with them.

So far, we’ve talked mostly about how companies have reacted, or are currently reacting, to the shift to work from home that the Coronavirus has caused. Let’s look a little bit into the future now – what permanent changes do you foresee the coronavirus having on the way organizations work and communicate in the long term?

Bob Janacek: The need to remotely support and do business with customers is not going away. Younger generations of consumers expect a mobile-first relationship with their suppliers. We’ve seen the pandemic force companies out of their comfort zone and reimage their business processes for a digital future. This will serve them well in today’s environment and for years to come.

Is there anything organizations can do now to start preparing for these changes?

Bob Janacek: Organizations need to look at their existing workflows and processes and determine which ones can be modernized or at least be offered as a digital alternative. Legacy processes including courier, postal mail and fax are slow and expensive, and can typically be replaced or supplemented by digital equivalents. This is especially effective for organizations that already have a customer-facing app or portal. In this case, offering a richer digital experience accelerates business process, reduces costs, and increases customer retention and revenue recognition.

So, you talked a little bit about a push for greater digital experiences. In recent months, Telehealth visits have become the new norm – do you think this is something that will stick after the coronavirus has subsided?

Bob Janacek: Absolutely. Between driving, parking and waiting rooms, we’ve all spent hours to receive ten minutes of time with a doctor. Telemedicine brings convenience to routine care. It also makes it easier for care encounters to occur, allowing patients to receive care and be monitored more frequently, resulting in better outcomes.

With these visits happening virtually, it’s likely that there’s an increase in doctors and nurses needing to send medical records or other information to patients through some sort of online channel. Are there any issues to look out for in this situation?

Bob Janacek: Telehealth visits often generate clinical information that must be shared with the patient and the patient’s primary care provider. Since this data is covered under privacy regulations such as HIPAA, care must be taken to exchange this information in a secure manner. Physicians typically use an EMR system and prefer to receive this information electronically using Direct Secure Messaging.  This is a secure message exchange protocol built into EMR systems that’s designed to replace fax, saving time and money by importing clinical data in digital form. Patients will typically receive their results in a patient portal or through a HIPAA-compliant secure email system.

Do you have any other thoughts on any of the topics we discussed that you would like to share?

Bob Janacek: Yes, absolutely. We’re seeing a paradigm shift in consumer expectations, driven partly by the pandemic and social distancing, but also by the digital-first, smartphone-first generations of Millennials and Gen-Z’ers. Organizations that evolve to meet and exceed the expectations of their customers will grow and thrive, while those that stick to traditional legacy methods will rapidly fall behind. We’ve seen this disruption happen to eCommerce firms, and there’s no reason to believe that it won’t happen to every firm that services consumers. The expectations of customers are high, as is the need to provide a superior customer experience. For many organizations, supplementing traditional business processes with modern digital equivalents isn’t just a nice to have, it’s absolutely necessary for their growth and survival. Those organizations that have mastered doing business in a remote, digital way, while providing a superior customer experience, are well positioned to grow and thrive today and in the future. It’s a small expense that generates big returns.

As we finish up the interview, I have two more, fun questions to ask. First, are there any new activities or hobbies that you’ve picked up to keep yourself busy during quarantine? 

Bob Janacek: Funny you should ask. At the urging of my son, I’ve set up a three-hole disc golf course around my property.  It’s good to get outside and have a little family competition, but I’m getting beaten regularly because my son is home and has a lot of time to practice. I’m home too, but my time is usually spent on the computer working remotely.

My final question, what’s the number one thing you are looking forward to doing once all quarantine restrictions are lifted?

Bob Janacek: I’m looking forward to freedom.  The ability to go anywhere and visit anyone without restrictions. That would be amazing. It’s the simple things, sometime, that mean the most.

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How to Solve the Disconnect Between Compliance Regulations and Customer Experience 1000 395 Christian Grunkemeyer

How to Solve the Disconnect Between Compliance Regulations and Customer Experience

In the previous sections of this series, we discussed what customer experience is, why it’s important, and how you can achieve it. To recap, customer experience is a lifetime journey across all touchpoints and communication channels. The push towards providing this experience is influenced by the growing spending power of millennials who demand a unique, yet cost-effective experience. To meet these demands, businesses need to use customer data to provide an omnichannel experience and adapt and evolve to meet future requirements. But what happens when a business frequently deals with personally identifiable information (PII) and the customer experience strategy must be in compliance with industry regulations?

A disconnect between compliance and customer experience

Oftentimes, businesses put processes in place to meet regulatory demands – but don’t take the extra time to review the program from the user’s perspective. This may result in a user having difficulty sending and retrieving information, a compliance team wasting time jumping through hoops to review communications, or even worse, accidentally gaining access to information they shouldn’t see! What else? End users may be responsible for remembering to press a “secure” button or forced to remember which “keyword” to put in the subject before sending confidential information – this should automatically happen in most cases.

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So, what should you look for when developing a compliant and user-friendly method of sharing confidential information with your customers and business partners?

Before implementing any electronic communications program, we recommend businesses ask these questions:

  • How will the program impact the users (employees)?
  • What kind of compliance risks may it result in?
  • What impact does it have on their customers?

All three of these are key for successful implementation of the program. If the program works great for employees, is easy for the compliance department to review, but the business fails to make it easy for the customer – then this dramatically impacts the customer experience.

Using a Secure Message Center to solve the disconnect

One solution to this disconnect is a secure message center within a self-service website, customer portal, or mobile app. If implemented correctly, it can provide value to both the business and the customers. Based on feedback from our customers, they want to add more channels to their support process to give customers access across multiple devices and empower their agents to more easily communicate with customers.

While introducing these extra channels is great for increasing customer communications, it often makes it harder to ensure security and compliance. This is where an integrated secure message center comes in handy. By using a secure message center, you can add web-mail, file exchange, and web-form services natively to member service portals and mobile apps. Enable your business to provide an integrated communication channel between agents and your customers – effectively adding another channel in an omnichannel strategy – a compliance channel.

Want to read more? Click a link below to jump to the other segments of this blog series:

Part 1: What Does “Customer Experience” Really Mean?

Part 2: Why is Customer Experience Important – And How Can You Achieve It?

Boost Your Customer Experience with a Secure Message Center

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