In a world where remote work is commonplace and coworkers are collaborating from across the globe, your communication apps need to be versatile and secure.
Wickr, known for its secure collaboration tools, features end-to-end encrypted voice and video calls, voice and video conferencing, secure messaging, and file sharing.
File Sharing on Wickr
In the course of workplace collaboration, it is inevitable that files will need to be shared. From a basic word processing document to a presentation, a PDF to a video file, your employees will need to share files to collaborate effectively. Any app that doesn’t provide for file sharing will not be comprehensively used, and employees will be forced to send their files via email, which is infamous for its security concerns.
Whether it is a PDF, video file, audio file, presentation, plain text, spreadsheet, or any other type of file, you can send it through Wickr. And Wickr, unlike email, employs state-of-the-art encryption, ephemeral capabilities, and a zero-trust design.
Using Wickr, you can send a file of 10GB or more to your team. And this file will be protected by Wickr’s prestigious end-to-end encryption. If someone intercepts the file en route, they will not only be unable to read the file, but they won’t even be able to determine whether it was a file sent vs a message or a call.
How to Share a File on Wickr
If an app makes it too complicated to send a file, employees will most likely cut corners and find an easier (and less secure) way to share the file. Luckily, Wickr’s file sharing is extremely user friendly.
Files can be shared via direct message or in a Wickr room. If you are on a desktop, you can simply drag and drop the file into the message or room. Via mobile, you can push the + button to choose a file to add to the conversation.
You can also choose how long to set the expiration timer to determine when the file will no longer be accessible by the person or group. In other apps, this would mean that the file is simply deleted once the timer is up, but cybersecurity experts agree that deleted data can often be retrieved by hackers. Because of this, Wickr doesn’t just delete the data. Using Wickr’s Secure Shredder technology, the file will be overwritten with random code to make it impossible to read, even if it is found.
How to Find a Shared File
Files can be accessed by room members until the expiration timer runs out. Administrators can also securely delete files as they become unnecessary. It is important to note that new members of the room can view any files that are still accessible by the room, even if they were not a member when the file was originally shared.
To access shared files, go to the folder icon in the room.
Then, click on Saved Items.
After doing this, you will be able to see all of the files that are shared in that room.
How to Save a Shared File
If you would like to save a file sent to you via Wickr, you can click on the three dots and select “Save File”. If you long-press the attachment on iOS, an option to “Save to Room” will pop up.
Security Concerns When Sharing a File
Wickr ensures that your file is end-to-end encrypted as it is sent from one user to another. The data is also encrypted at rest inside of the app. However, once the end-user has opened the file, they can save it onto their device in plain text via a 3rd party app, leaving it vulnerable to cyber attacks. There are several ways to deal with this potential vulnerability, with two options outlined in our FAQ section:
1. A customer use policy that requires the transfer of already encrypted files (so that they are still encrypted after export) or
2. Device-based encryption to ensure that everything stored on the device (even after export from Wickr) is encrypted at rest — in essence implementing a second layer of data-at-rest file encryption.
We at Wickr are doing everything we can to secure your data while it is in our app, but be sure to employ cybersecurity best practices to secure the data once it reaches its endpoint. Employees will need to be trained as to what files can be saved onto a device, and if they can be, how to secure that file once it is saved.
Secure File Sharing with Wickr
Wickr has unmatched privacy even in the harshest environments, and this is no different when sharing files. Your company needs to ensure that the files shared between coworkers are kept private, ensuring your competitive edge and future prosperity.
In addition to secure file sharing, Wickr offers secure messaging, voice and video calls, voice and video conferencing, Smart VPN technology, and much more. Try AWS Wickr and how it can solve your collaboration needs.