It has been impossible to miss growing cyber security threats in the last few decades. Turn on the news and you will hear of cyber-attacks, sophisticated hacks and the release of massive amounts of confidential data. The world is becoming a terrifying place, especially when the threat is one that we cannot see. You may be wondering how this will affect your business. Whether your business is large or small, is tech-based or provides another service, you almost definitely use computers and the internet to share files and data. This means if you don’t take proper precautions you could be at risk of losing data, having financial details stolen and quickly losing a lot of money, your reputation and any hope of running a new business in the future because of bankruptcy. To protect yourself, you should have an SFTP file sharing server in your business today.

What are Secure File Transfer Protocol servers?

Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) is one of the safest and most secure ways to transfer data between two remote terminals. This means that you can transfer spreadsheets, client info, payroll data and anything else you need to keep secure without worrying it will get sent to anyone else or get leaked to the public if particularly sensitive. Servers to store the data are cloud based and encrypted to the highest standard.

How do they work?

SFTP piggybacks onto the SSH file transfer protocol, and is designed to work as an extension rather than on its own like the less secure FTP. SFTP encrypts both the transfer data and the files being transferred, giving you an extra layer of security. It’s all well and good encrypting your files, but if the transfer data is not encrypted too then this can make it easier for hackers to access the files themselves.

What are the benefits?

Now you know what SFTP servers are and how they work, you may be wondering what value they will bring to your business.

Security

One of the most secure transfer protocols available, this has so many benefits over FTP. The double layer of security, with both files and the file transfer data being encrypted, means it is extra secure and will keep all your business data safe.

Versatile

You may not want all of your staff to access all of the data or be recipients to new data. SFTP software can be set up with parameters and restrictions to make sure the right people have access to the right data. Dedicated usernames and passwords will allow individuals to access the data as and when needed.

Cloud based and outsourced

Storing your data on a cloud based server means you do not have to store it on your own technology, saving you space and money. By using an outsourced company instead of doing things yourself, you can be sure that professionals will be taking care of your data and your business. Put your mind at ease today by employing a hosting company to provide an SFTP server.

catalyst2 provides SFTP server hosting along with many other cloud based type hosting servers. Choose from payroll and accounting hosting from Sage, academic hosting from Moodle or website hosting with WordPress amongst many others. We guarantee a seamless, secure hosting service and we will talk to you to best tailor the service to your needs. Get in touch through our chat function on our website or explore the site for further information and contact details. We look forward to hosting your business in the future.