How to Share Files Safely Without Making It Complicated

Remote work would be unimaginable without sharing drafts, design revisions, and other important files with clients or team members. Such files often include sensitive information that you wouldn't want anyone other than the intended recipient to access. Some file-sharing methods are riskier than others. Read on to discover what those risks entail and what safe and easy methods you should be using instead.

Risky Ways of Sharing Files

So many file-sharing options exist, and most of them are easy to use. However, some are less safe than others. Here are some methods you've likely used before that you might want to avoid in the future.

• USB sticks – A bit antiquated, considering the multitude of digital options. Can contain malware, and the data stored on them is irreplaceable if the stick itself gets lost.
• Email attachments – Decent for sharing unimportant files, but lack the encryption necessary for sensitive work documents. There’s also always the chance of sending them to unintended recipients.
• Screen sharing – Great for troubleshooting or guiding clients through complicated steps, but it comes with privacy concerns.
• Public links – Convenient, especially for sharing less sensitive files with groups. However, anyone can use the link to access the files, and you lose control over how it gets shared.
• Social media messages – Regular messages on platforms like Facebook lack encryption.
• Some business communication apps – Services like Slack encrypt stored conversations and protect your data when it’s in transit. However, they don’t use end-to-end encryption, meaning that staff and admins may be able to access file contents.

Are There Safe, Easy Alternatives?

The list above might make you think that every method is either compromised or complex. Luckily, that’s not the case. These are your secure, easy-to-use options. 

Sharing via secure remote connection 

Working remotely gives you an extra thing to account for – network security. Even if you correctly encrypt and safely transfer a file, doing so can still leave a trace on unsafe networks like public Wi-Fi. Someone snooping on such a network can still see the names of transferred files and know which websites you visit. Using a VPN for Windows or Linux will prevent them from doing so since it encrypts the entire connection. That means everything, including file names, metadata, your real IP address, etc., remains hidden and inaccessible for maximum privacy and protection.

Personal links to files in encrypted cloud storage

Cloud storage providers have a vested interest in file security, so they take encryption at rest and in transit seriously. Still, it’s on you to safely allow access to the files they store, which you can do via personal links. These work for single individuals or select groups based on their accounts, authentication codes, etc. You determine whether it's a one-time or limited-use link and how long it's valid, then send it to clients and colleagues via a secure channel.

Encrypted, password-protected files 

Files can still be shared securely via business communication tools if you encrypt them yourself and use password protection. Archiving software like 7-Zip and WinRAR is great for this. You just select all necessary files, add them to a new archive, and enable both encryption and password protection. That way, no one can see the contents without entering the right password. Speaking of, the password you use needs to be something that’s not easy to guess. A password manager will generate a strong, unique password and become indispensable if you regularly send files like this. NordPass review also shows that you can share the password securely with the other party without exposing its plaintext version.

Conclusion

Safe file sharing doesn’t need to be a trade-off between speed and security. Use the best VPN on sketchy networks, limit access with encrypted cloud links, and lock down sensitive files with encryption and strong passwords so only the right people can open them.