Whether you work at a hospital, a law office, or as a real estate developer, you handle sensitive data and information every day that needs to be stored securely. While a few decades ago, a room of filing cabinets equipped with locks may have been the best data storage solution, these days paper files won’t cut it—not only are they less secure than digital, encrypted files, they’re not so great for the environment either. Real estate developers like Peter Lowy, who has been in the game for over 30 years, have had the opportunity to watch as data storage and security solutions have changed and have been able to see the benefits and downfalls to each first-hand.
Although today’s electronic data storage solutions are more convenient and more secure, they are not immune to cyber attack. The Equifax, Verizon, Deloitte, Uber, and other data breaches that made headlines last year are proof of that. Despite the risk of cyber attack and data breach, however, there’s no going back—digital documents are still safer and more secure than paper.
There is no shortage of data storage and security solutions out there, and many have little bugs or downfalls that need to be addressed, but overall there are a certain few that real estate developers trust. Choosing which program to use will depend on several factors. For example, current and future needs, functionality, speed and capacity, reliability, etc. all play a part in choosing a provider. If you’re considering a new provider or are just getting into the market, here are the top ways and platforms that real estate developers choose to use to keep their data safe and secure:
Encryption
Almost all businesses encrypt their sensitive data in some way, and if they don’t, they should. Certain data is even required to be stored securely and specifically by law, (think credit card information and health records). Data can be encrypted in a number of different ways—specific files can be made secure with encryption, or entire hard drives can be coded with encryption to ensure the safety of the data stored on them. Either way, most real estate developers will use encryption to ensure the safety of their data and files.
iDrive
iDrive is a cloud storage system that lets you back up all of your data and information in real-time. They also offer 256-bit AES encryption to keep all of the information safe and secure. Whether you want to sync and save docs, backup entire devices, or archive data to find info later, iDrive is a good solution that benefits real estate developers of all types.
Limited Access and Control
Naturally, the more people who have access to sensitive and private information, the less security there is. Even if you feel you can trust every individual with access, there’s always the chance that they will give up the info or inadvertently make it accessible to those without clearance. It’s good practice to limit the number of people who have access to and control of the data that you need to keep safe and secure and is a common practice among real estate developers and professionals of all types.
CertainSafe
CertainSafe is a cloud storage solution designed specifically for security. They offer secure portals where you can store your docs, photos, files, messages, and any other data and information securely where it cannot be accessed by those who are unauthorized. They do enable you to collaborate and communicate with others, though, so that you can work on sensitive projects with others who are looped in. It’s a great tool for real estate development teams in the beginning phases of projects and who need to store sensitive information securely.
Regular Password Changes
It is recommended that your password is changed every six months to a year; however, that does not mean that you can keep a relatively weak password. Passwords that include personal information are fairly easy to figure out and therefore less secure. The problem is, that, not many people can remember complicated passwords that don’t relate to anything they connect with. That’s where password generators or tools like Qwertycards come in—they can help you keep track of and remember secure passwords.
Final Thoughts
Data security is extremely important. Although digital documents are much more secure than paper, they’re still at risk, and when you run a real estate development company, you have sensitive information that needs to be kept safe and secure until a later time or even at all times. Luckily, there are some things you can do and programs you can use that will help you keep your information safe and secure without too much effort. What other programs do you use to keep your data secure?
