Dealerships face challenges when it comes to securely receiving customer files. Often, employees ask customers to send files via text, email, or other unsecured methods. This will violate the new FTC Safeguards Rule’s regulations regarding the secure transfer, storage, and restricted access of Personally Identifiable Information (PII). However, there’s an easy solution to this problem that most dealerships have in place and aren’t leveraging – Microsoft OneDrive
Secure Transfer: Encrypting Files in Transit
One of the primary concerns when receiving customer files is ensuring the secure transfer of sensitive information. Sending files via text or email can expose PII to potential interception or unauthorized access. However, Microsoft OneDrive offers a secure method of transferring files by encrypting them in transit.
With Microsoft OneDrive, a dealership employee can provide a client with access to a OneDrive folder. This provides the client with an easy way to upload files securely a the dealership’s designated OneDrive folder. During the transfer process, the files are encrypted, ensuring that even if intercepted, they remain inaccessible to unauthorized individuals.
Secure Storage: Encryption at Rest
Beyond secure file transfer, dealerships must also prioritize secure storage of customer files. Encrypting files at rest ensures that even if the storage medium is compromised, the files remain encrypted and unreadable.
When customer files are uploaded to the dealership’s designated OneDrive folder, they’re encrypted and stored securely in the cloud. Microsoft employs robust encryption algorithms to safeguard the files, rendering them inaccessible to unauthorized individuals. This ensures that sensitive customer information remains protected even if the storage infrastructure is breached.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Restricted Access to PII
In addition to secure transfer and storage, restricting access to Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is crucial for compliance with FTC Safeguards rules.
When attempting to access a file or folder, both the dealership employee and the client will need to verify their identity via receipt of a code. This mitigates the risk of unauthorized individuals gaining access to sensitive customer data.
Many dealerships already have Microsoft OneDrive and simply don’t know how to optimize the value of this technology. Are you confident that you’re getting the most out of your dealership’s technology investment? Some dealerships simply don’t have the IT resources with the expertise and bandwidth to learn about and take advantage of all of the technologies they have in place. This is where having a team of knowledgable, technical IT and cybersecurity professionals at hand can help.
