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Secure File Sharing: Achieve Regulatory Compliance With GDPR, HIPAA, FedRAMP, and Other Regulations

by Bob Ertl updated April 11, 2023 Secure File Sharing

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Secure file sharing has become a fundamental part of doing business in the digital age, but organizations must take care to ensure that they demonstrate compliance with the numerous regulations that govern the use of data. Compliance is an essential part of any secure file sharing process, as failure to do so can result in serious consequences.

In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of secure file sharing and compliance with regulations. We will define key terms, discuss various regulations that govern secure file sharing, explore the challenges of compliance, provide best practices for secure file sharing, cover compliance audits, discuss the use of third-party services for secure file sharing and their impact on regulatory compliance, discuss data retention and disposal, cover incident response and reporting, and explore continuous monitoring and improvement for compliance.

Understanding the Importance of Compliance With Regulations

Before we delve into the intricacies of secure file sharing and compliance, it is important to understand the various regulations governing data security. For the purposes of this blog post, I selected four regulations. Many others, such as state-specific laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), obviously exist. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a set of regulations that governs the security of protected health information (PHI). The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a set of regulations that governs the processing of private content in the European Union. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of regulations that governs the security of credit and debit card payments. Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). It is a government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services.

These regulations set forth a set of requirements that organizations must adhere to in order to demonstrate compliance. They are designed to protect sensitive content and ensure its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. These requirements typically include measures to protect content, such as encryption and access control, as well as procedures to ensure content is retained and disposed of securely. In addition, organizations must have mechanisms in place to detect and respond to security incidents, as well as continuous monitoring and improvement of their security measures. Failure to adhere to these regulations can result in serious consequences such as fines, litigation, and reputational damage. Additionally, complying with regulations also helps businesses maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Challenges of Compliance With Multiple Regulations

Complying with multiple regulations can be a challenging and costly endeavor. The regulations vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and it can be difficult to interpret and implement the various requirements. Organizations must invest substantial resources in order to understand the regulations and develop appropriate measures to demonstrate compliance. In addition, organizations must stay up to date with the evolving regulatory landscape, which can be a time-consuming and costly endeavor.

1. Compliance Audits

Compliance audits are an important part of demonstrating compliance with regulations. The audit process typically involves an independent third party reviewing the organization’s security policies and procedures to ensure that they meet the requirements of the regulations. The types of audits vary depending on the regulations and the organization, but they can include both on-site and remote reviews. Organizations that fail an audit can be subject to a range of penalties, which can include fines, legal action, and reputational damage.

2. Third-party Services and Compliance

Organizations often use third-party services for secure file sharing, such as cloud storage and file sharing platforms. In order to maintain compliance, organizations must ensure that the third-party services they use meet the requirements of the regulations. This requires due diligence on the part of the organization to review the service provider’s security measures and data policies. In addition, organizations must obtain evidence that the service provider is compliant with the relevant regulations.

3. Data Retention and Disposal

Data retention and disposal are essential for compliance with regulations. Organizations must maintain records of the data they collect and process, as well as the dates when the data is created and disposed of. Regulations typically require organizations to dispose of data securely, which can be accomplished through a variety of methods such as physical destruction, digital deletion, and encryption.

Organizations must ensure that they have procedures in place to properly dispose of data in order to avoid any potential issues with compliance. Incident Response and Reporting Organizations must have procedures in place to detect and respond to security incidents. Regulations typically require organizations to have an incident response plan and to report data breaches and other incidents in a timely manner. Organizations must also consider various required notifications and disclosures, as failure to do so can result in significant penalties.

4. Continuous Monitoring and Improvement

Organizations must also consider the importance of continuous monitoring and improvement for compliance. Organizations should regularly review their security measures to ensure they are up to date with the relevant regulations. In addition, organizations should regularly audit their security measures to identify any areas of noncompliance or improvement. Implementing a continuous improvement process can help organizations identify and address issues before they become a problem, resulting in greater security and compliance.

The Role of Secure File Sharing in Compliance

Secure file sharing is an important tool for compliance with regulations, as it provides a secure way for companies to store and share confidential information. It ensures that all data is protected from unauthorized access, thereby preventing any accidental or intentional data breaches.

It also ensures that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive data, and that all users have to follow the same security protocols. Secure file sharing helps companies comply with data security regulations, which then ensures that all data is kept confidential and secure, thereby protecting the privacy and security of customers and employees.

By using secure file sharing, companies can also ensure that their data is regularly backed up in a secure location and that access is only granted to individuals who are authorized. This helps to prevent data loss, which can be especially important in industries that are heavily regulated.

Finally, secure file sharing helps companies meet compliance requirements by providing a secure environment for the storage and dissemination of data, as well as the ability to audit and monitor any changes made to the data.

Applying NIST 800-53 to Secure File Sharing

To achieve secure file sharing, organizations can apply various controls from the National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-53 (NIST SP 800-53) framework. Here are some examples:

1. Access Control (AC) Family

The access control family includes controls that restrict access to information systems and data based on users’ identity, roles, and permissions. By implementing access controls, organizations can ensure that only authorized users can access and share files, thereby reducing the risk of data leaks and breaches. Some access controls that can be used for secure file sharing include:

2. AC-2 Account Management

This control requires organizations to manage and authorize user accounts, including creating, modifying, disabling, and deleting them. By ensuring that only authorized users have access to file sharing platforms, organizations can reduce the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.

3. AC-3 Access Enforcement

This control requires organizations to enforce access policies and procedures that ensure only authorized users can access and share files. For example, organizations can implement multi-factor authentication, password policies, and encryption to enhance access control.

4. Configuration Management (CM) Family

The CM family includes controls that manage and maintain the configuration of information systems, applications, and data to ensure their integrity, availability, and confidentiality. By implementing CM controls, organizations can reduce the risk of unauthorized changes, malware, and data loss. Some CM controls that can be used for secure file sharing include:

5. CM-6 Configuration Settings

This control requires organizations to establish and implement configuration settings for information systems, applications, and data. By configuring file sharing platforms to meet industry standards and regulatory requirements, organizations can reduce the risk of vulnerabilities and attacks.

6. CM-8 Information System Component Inventory

This control requires organizations to create and maintain an inventory of information system components, including hardware, software, and data. By knowing what components are in use, organizations can better manage and secure them, including file sharing platforms.

Requirements of Regulations Utilized/Leveraged by Secure File Sharing

Most regulations governing data protection and privacy leverage the requirements laid out in NIST 800-53. These requirements provide a framework for managing and protecting sensitive data. Some of the critical requirements include:

1. Access Controls for File Sharing

Access controls ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data. This requirement includes user identification and authentication, access enforcement, and accountability.

2. Encryption for File Sharing

Encryption is a critical aspect of protecting sensitive data during transmission and storage. Encryption ensures that even if an attacker intercepts the data, they cannot read it.

3. Incident Response for File Sharing

Incident response is a set of procedures that businesses must follow in case of a security incident. This requirement includes procedures for detecting, analyzing, containing, and recovering from security incidents.

4. Physical and Environmental Protection

This requirement ensures that physical and environmental controls are in place to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, theft, and damage.

5. System and Information Integrity

This requirement includes procedures for identifying, reporting, and responding to security incidents that may impact system and information integrity.

Best Practices for Secure File Sharing to Demonstrate Compliance

To ensure compliance with various regulations, businesses must adopt best practices for secure file sharing. Some of the best practices include:

1. Use of Secure File Sharing Services

Businesses must use secure file sharing services that comply with various regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, FedRAMP, etc. These services must provide adequate access controls, encryption, and incident response procedures.

2. Implementation of Access Controls

Access controls must be implemented to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data. This includes using strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and restricting access to sensitive content based on job roles.

3. Encryption of Data

Sensitive data must be encrypted during transmission and storage. Businesses must use encryption algorithms that comply with various regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, FedRAMP, etc.

4. Training of Personnel

Personnel must be trained on the best practices for secure file sharing. This includes training on access controls, encryption, incident response, and physical and environmental protection.

Using Kiteworks to Secure File Sharing and Regulatory Compliance

Enterprises looking for secure file sharing will find the Kiteworks Private Content Network ideal for their needs. It enables the secure exchange of data and files between users, organizations, and systems while protecting intellectual property and adhering to regulatory requirements. Not only are file shares included within the Kiteworks platform, but other communication channels as well, such as email, managed file transfer, web forms, and application programming interfaces (APIs).

With Kiteworks, users can access, send, and receive sensitive information both securely and compliantly. The Kiteworks Private Content Network is enveloped in a hardened virtual appliance used to protect file shares both internally and externally. There are various deployment options available, including on-premises, private cloud, hybrid cloud, hosted, and FedRAMP virtual private cloud. Additionally, an audit trail of all file activity is provided to help monitor data sent and received, and access permissions can be set to limit confidential information access. This allows organizations to adhere to any data governance protocols and industry regulation.

Schedule a custom demo of Kiteworks to learn more about the file sharing capabilities in the Kiteworks platform.

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