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What Is Secure File Transfer?
Secure file transfer is a way to protect data during transit using encryption, authentication, access controls and auditing when sharing files within or across networks. These features help businesses achieve compliance to industry standards and governance policies.
Share Files Using Secure File Transfer Protocols
Businesses share sensitive files using common protocols such as SFTP, FTPS and HTTPS. Therefore, a secure file transfer solution needs to be protocol-agnostic, meaning it can exchange a variety of files, internally or externally, regardless of protocol, file type or file size.
Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
SFTP is a network protocol that uses and relies on a secure channel such as SSH to provide secure file transfer capabilities. SFTP is one of the most used protocols for file transfers. Since Thru can act as a client or server, SFTP clients or servers can continue to be used as needed.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol over SSL (HTTPS)
HTTPS uses the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol to encrypt files. Recipients can download files directly from a web browser. HTTPS file transfers are handled by our Thru Node, which is a lightweight managed file transfer (MFT) agent.
File Transfer Protocol over SSL/TLS 1.2/1.3 (FTPS)
Like HTTPS, FTPS uses the TLS protocol to encrypt files. FTPS has two modes: one explicit and one implicit. Administrators choose between the modes based on their file security requirements and partners’ requirements.
Top Methods of Encrypting File Transfers
The best way to protect files is complete end-to-end encryption (E2EE): Files are encrypted at the file level in addition to using encrypted protocols during transit and storage encryption at rest.
File Payload Encryption
How are file payloads secured?
Encrypt files all the way to its destination using the OpenPGP standard, based on Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) software. Thru’s MFT solution supports customer creation, import and management of keys and tokens.
Data Encryption in Transit
How is data in transit secured?
Encrypted protocols provide an additional level of defense when sharing files. Secure files in transit using a secure protocol such as SFTP, FTPS and HTTPS.
Secure File Transfer Protocols page »
Data Encryption at Rest
How is data at rest secured in the cloud?
All files stored in Thru cloud platform are encrypted by AES 256-bit FIPS-compliant encryption with redundant and transparent policy and cryptographic key management.
How SFTP and MFT Work Together to Deliver Files
SFTP Secures Files
SFTP has become synonymous with secure file transfer. SFTP servers are ubiquitously used by organizations to exchange files with partners. Relying just on SFTP alone may be adequate for some types of file transfers, but sensitive, business-critical file transactions require additional enterprise-grade protection, control and visibility.
MFT Adds Control to SFTP Transfers
An MFT solution enhances secure file sharing by providing this required functionality. MFT is a file transfer system that utilizes multiple protocols including SFTP and is able to act as a client or server to enable push or pull connectivity between the MFT system and its endpoints. Readily available capabilities of MFT include comprehensive end-to-end security; tracking, logging and retention settings; and high availability.
Monitoring, Alerts, Audit & Logging
Monitor the “who, what, where and when” of file transfers: Thru records granular details of all file transfer activity, user actions, metadata and any changes to records in the system.
Alerts are generated when issues are encountered. Users or administrators can elect to receive alerts and notifications.
An administrator can easily produce an audit trail for all files that pass through our secure file transfer solution. Current and historical alerts and logs can be viewed in dashboards, manually downloaded or consumed over APIs.
Compliance and Standards
As sharing data electronically continues to grow so does the number of regulations requiring stricter data security and privacy protection. Our MFT solution provides a proven means for businesses to achieve their goals of remaining compliant and strengthening data security. Corporate governance policies and industry security standards place additional requirements on data sharing and file transfers that our MFT service is designed to meet. Thru has several features to help achieve compliance, including
- Encryption in transit and at rest
- Role-based access controls
- Multi-level retention policies
- Audit and logging
Compliance »
Cloud & Application Security
To mitigate security breaches and protect file transfers from potential threats such as hackers and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, a zero trust approach across multiple levels of security is in place, including
- Antimalware
- Antivirus scanning
- Authentication
- Access controls
Cloud & Application Security »
How To Find Best File Sharing Solution
To find the best solution to securely transfer files, look for a comprehensive MFT solution with core functionality that includes
- End-to-end encryption to protect sensitive information.
- Advanced authentication to validate identities of users and connections—human, API, application and system.
- Role-based access controls (RBAC) to prevent unauthorized users from modifying endpoints or workflows.
- Multiple endpoints to programmatically transfer files.
Read about our Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Performance evaluation by a third party, CyberVadis »
Read about our cybersecurity rating by a third party, SecurityScorecard »
FAQs about Secure File Transfer
What is secure file transfer?
Secure file transfer is a file sharing solution that uses secure protocols to protect data during transit and at rest. Additional data protection measures provided by managed file transfer tools include end-to-end encryption, advanced authentication and role-based access controls.
How can I keep my file transfers compliant?
Using just secure file transfer protocols to exchange files is not sufficient to achieve compliancy requirements. The right managed file transfer tool has additional features to help businesses remain compliant with corporate governance policies and industry security standards, including
- Encryption in transit and at rest
- Role-based access controls
- Multi-level retention policies
- Audit and logging
What are the best practices to securely share files?
To protect your business-critical data, ensure your secure file transfer solution includes functionality that supports the best practices laid out in this blog. Learn the best practices and how your organization can implement them »
What is the difference between FTP and MFT for secure file transfers?
Managed file transfer solutions provide one place to manage and monitor secure file transfers. If an IT team uses on-premises FTP servers, they cannot easily see which files were delivered or resolve issues. Read more about the differences between MFT and FTP »
What are alternatives to FTP?
File transfer protocol (FTP) is an unencrypted protocol. Files that are sent outside companies’ firewalls can be read if they’re sent with FTP. To avoid security issues, companies must choose an encrypted alternative »
Is SFTP better than FTPS for secure file transfers?
Both SFTP and FTPS are secure file transfer protocols, but they have some differences that usually make one a preferred choice over the other. Read more about the differences between SFTP and FTPS »
What is a secure file transfer gateway?
A secure file transfer gateway is used by on-premises file transfer systems for external file transfer. It sits outside of the enterprise local area network (LAN) in the demilitarized zone (DMZ). See more about what it is and its disadvantages »
What is the best way to send files securely?
Send and share encrypted files and attachments from existing business applications and devices with Thru. See how to securely send files »
Secure File Transfer Resources
Secure File Transfers with Thru
Download our white paper for more information on how we ensure secure file transfers with combined cloud, application and data security.
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