Are Your Sync Clients Really Safe?

This post was originally published here by  Chantelle Patel.

Box introduced their new client sync app today called Box Drive. The desktop app will allow enterprise users to access all Box files directly from the desktop, saving time and money. While apps like Box Drive make accessing data easier, they introduce a major means of data leakage if not properly secured. Enterprises using these apps have few means of controlling which users and devices are able to access data. Unmanaged device access in particular poses a major threat to the organization.

With the threat of data breaches at an all time high, these best practices may save your enterprise from being the next victim.

1. Allowing sync client access only on managed devices. This ensures that data that is downloaded is on a device that has more stringent security controls. It also prevents users from being able to access data from unmanaged, unsecured, and risky devices.
2. Set up access controls on managed devices. These controls dictate who can access data based on user characteristics like job function, location, or even behavior within the app.
3. Malware protection is a must when using any cloud app and its associated sync clients. Because they simplify the process of sharing documents, they provide malware with a more rapid method of infecting organizations’ devices and connected cloud apps. Files infected with malware must be blocked at upload, at download, and at rest in the cloud.