Security is a significant concern when using collaboration tools because customer data and essential internal data are housed on the device.

Collaborative tools have many benefits:

• Less reliance on email
• Better communication and relationships between teams
• A decrease in dependence on email 

Various collaboration tools include video conferencing, VoIP, document sharing, and instant messaging. However, these tools create potential security threats and evaluate vulnerabilities and find a suitable solution. 

 

Security Threats To Be Aware Of And Possible Solutions.

 

Users with privileged access: 

 The collaboration tool may be accessible at varying levels by different individuals in the organization. Collaboration software allows information to reside within unique partitions, which can be accessed only by selected team members.

Solution: Allow administrators to set substantial restrictions on which information users can view, report when accounts try to access the information they’re not authorized to see, and immediately terminate access rights for funds that have been compromised.

 

Authentication credentials:  

If a collaboration tool is hacked, outsiders can quickly access financial information, proprietary company data, and client data.

Solution: With a strict password policy, two-factor authentication using SMS in mobile devices can immediately solve this problem.

 

Threats from within: 

Collaboration tools are accessed via the public Internet, which exposes the data to multiple threats, like malware and unauthorized tracking.

Solution – Using a VPN connection for security.

 

Default settings: 

When summary emails or financial data mails are exposed to vulnerabilities in the email, all of the data will leak to outsiders, and outsiders will gain access.

Solution: Users should access a summary of collaboration tools based on their level within an organization.

 

How do you choose the solution? 

 

Despite the security risks associated with collaboration tools, we still use them. However, the best collaboration tool should require end-to-end visibility, high-performance monitoring of security threats, and the ability to make changes quickly. In order to prevent new security threats, training and changes in practices should consistently be implemented. The vendor should also support a successful solution rollout.