For so many businesses, timely, proactive, and personalized communications is the secret ingredient that keeps clients coming back for more. So, what’s a company to do when “communications” goes well beyond daily email and phone check-ins, involving the need to not only send, but also collaborate on, extremely large documents, such as CAD drawings, contracts, and floor plans?

For Halsall Associates – a firm that has provided engineering services to clients worldwide since 1956 – its traditional methods of sharing information both with clients and among internal team members were not keeping up with its fast-paced business. For example, the firm oversees the tendering process for clients – managing incoming bids from various contractors for an approved project. With tendering packages released weekly and including up to a dozen bidders per project, sharing this information via an FTP site or a thumb drive was overwhelming, forcing clients to manage multiple files in multiple places and hindering Halsall’s ability to provide counsel until the files were manually returned.

Enter Accellion Secure Collaboration.

Now, Halsall’s employees simply need a client’s email address to create an Accellion workspace and can then upload and download files as often as needed. One workspace per tender package provides exclusive access to bidding contractors and eliminates document confusion – a win-win.

Similarly, for ongoing design and engineering projects, employees create a single workspace per property, providing a one-stop source for floor plans, surveys, and contract documents. Gone are days of Halsall employees hitting “send” and wondering if documents were received, who accessed them, and if the files were updated. With Accellion, employees maintain an active thread of conversation for all documents – adding comments, soliciting feedback, and easily monitoring past versions. Plus, there are added benefits for IT, providing an automated audit trail with access to file activity by sender, recipient, file size, or date sent.

“Now, our staff doesn’t think twice about how to share documents,” said Noman Ahmed, Infrastructure Specialist with Halsall Associates. “Accellion is to go-to source for all internal and external interactions, allowing employees to work smarter, faster, and more effectively.”

Click here to read the full case study.

Accellion had a tremendous year in 2011. It was awesome to watch the amount of worldwide growth that took place, especially in the last six months.  Accellion’s management team of successful startup veterans have created an atmosphere that rewards innovation, offers opportunities for growth, and encourages a healthy work/life balance.

Accellion has started 2012 with a bang. As you are probably already aware, Accellion received a $12M investment  in January. After the record-breaking year and added investment to fuel our continued growth, the question is- what’s next for Accellion?  Great organizations need inspired employees with creativity who can get the job done. Do you want to be part of something BIG? Do you want to be innovative and creative? Accellion is an innovative startup with a difference; Accellion is profitable and growing rapidly.

Are you interested in growing with us?

Check out the positions we currently have open in engineering, marketing, sales and customer support.

Be sure to stay tuned to Accellion.com and check out our Facebook page for updates.

By Yorgen Edholm

Recently, federal authorities took action to shut down the Web site of MegaUpload, accusing its operators, who could face 20 years in prison, of copyright infringement.

There is a lesson to be learned here.  While online storage sites like MediaFire, Dropbox, YouSendIt and Box immediately jumped to defend legitimate file storage sites, like themselves, in the New York Times article, “Antipiracy Case Sends Shivers Through Some Legitimate Storage Sites” by Nicole Perlroth and Quentin Hardy; as reported by Perloth and Hardy, these public, cloud online storage sites “are inherently ideal for anyone looking to illegitimately upload and share copyrighted video and audio files.”

For the most part, the way the sites mentioned in the New York Times article work is that their users share files using a link to a file exposed publicly, and stored in a public, multi-tenant cloud.  These sites are often architected in such a way that one copy of a file, for instance a photo, is stored once and shared by multiple users to save storage space for the site.

So what is the lesson to be learned?  Data shows that employees at enterprise organizations are using consumer online storage sites at work and are putting their organizations at risk for copyright infringement and exposure of intellectual property.  According to a recent study by Palo Alto Networks, MegaUpload usage was found on the networks of 57 percent of the 1,636 enterprise organizations in the study.  76 percent had Dropbox and 57 percent had Box on their network.

An enterprise organization’s business users – employees, partners, and customers — trying to get their jobs done and be productive often turn to consumer online storage sites to share sensitive corporate data.  If an organization wants to protect itself against copyright infringement and exposure of intellectual property, it needs to offer it’s users another way to share files.

Accellion works differently from these sites and is a secure, managed alternative architected for enterprise organizations, while still offering users an easy, simple way to share files.  Using Accellion, enterprise users are granted their own secure, online storage while they access, collaborate and share files anytime, anywhere.  The majority of Accellion customers are using a private cloud deployment behind their firewall to ensure maximum protection and control of intellectual property.  Accellion encrypts information in transit and at rest and is the safe, secure option for business users.

Whether Accellion customers use a public, private or hybrid cloud deployment they can manage, report and track files so they know who downloads what file, from what device and when they download it.  Accellion also integrates with Data Loss Prevention technology (DLP).  This inherently discourages employees from sharing illegitimate files, watching copyrighted entertainment via the corporate network, or sharing other files that are not in line with corporate policies.  Accellion helps protect an organization from inadvertent IP leaks, and helps our customers maintain compliance with HIPAA, PCI, SOX and other global government data regulations.

The recent MegaUpload news is yet another wake up call for global enterprises to take control over file sharing within their organization, and this means deploying a secure enterprise solution that enables easy file sharing for business users without exposing intellectual property or enabling copyright infringement.  In addition, organizations need to continue to monitor updates to government regulations and the impact they have for their organization’s data. This will continue to be something we watch and discuss on this forum.  Subscribe to our blog for the most up-to-date information.

361 million >> 144 million >> 4 million that’s the total number of records compromised each year from 2008 – 2010 as a result of data breaches, according to a joint Verizon and United States Secret Service report. After years of increasing losses climaxing in 2008 with a record-setting 361 million records compromised, it was not clear if the 2009 drop to 144 million was an aberration or a sign of things to come. The 2010 total of four million compromised records seems to suggest it was a sign. But of what? And is it a lasting change or a temporary deviation?

Unfortunately, a new report from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse notes 535 data breaches during 2011, involving 30.4 million compromised records. That’s up from 2011, and it’s just a conservative estimate, since not all data breaches see the light of day. “Because many states do not require companies to report data breaches to a central clearinghouse, data breaches occur that we never hear about,” said PRC director Beth Givens in the report.

In 2011 millions of people were affected by serious data breaches at major corporations and organizations like: Epsilon, Alliance Data Systems, Sony PlayStation, WordPress.com, University of South Carolina, and Tripadvisor/Expedia. These breaches of sensitive information reinforce the need for enterprise-class, secure content delivery solutions at organizations of all of sizes, regardless of industry.

Our New Year’s wish for every enterprise organization is a year free of data breaches.  Of course to make this wish come true we encourage everyone to eliminate unsecure file sharing as a source of data breaches. Make implementing Accellion file sharing part of your New Year’s resolution.

Schwartz, M. J. (2011, December 28). 6 worst data breaches of 2011. Retrieved from http://informationweek.com/news/security/attacks/232301079

Verizon. (2011, May 05). 2011 verizon data breach investigations report. Retrieved from http://www.verizonbusiness.com/Products/security/dbir/

At this point I don’t think Charles Dickens’s character Ebenezer Scrooge would say “Bah, humbug!” to an iPad for the holidays. A recent Nielsen survey shows that our appetite for Apple devices is growing – with the iPad leading the pack. Twenty-four percent of adult consumers want an iPad this holiday season. That’s up six percent from last year. With demand so high this year Apple is sure to break its record of 6.35 millioniPads sold last holiday season.

With many of these new holiday iPads destined for dual usage, both personal and business, the Accellion team has been working overtime on the latest version of Accellion Secure Mobile App for iOS. Now available for download, just in time for the holidays, the new Accellion Mobile App version (2.1) is a universal app for iPhone and iPad.  My favorite new feature – the cool split screen view for the iPad – but check out all the great features for securely accessing business information on the go including:

• Encrypted mobile access to files
• Securely view, share, and send files on-the-go
• Download, save, edit, and upload files from the mobile device safely and securely
• Add comments on files to collaborate with colleagues
• Subscribe to notifications to receive real-time file and workspace updates

Download the app here to experience the new features, today.

As always, we love your feedback so leave us your thoughts below on the updated app!

Elmer-Dewitt, P. (2010, December 30). Retrieved from http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/12/30/how-big-was-apples-ipad-christmas/

Nielson wire blog. (2011, November 17). Retrieved from http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/us-kids-looking-forward-to-iholiday-2011/

Over the past year, we’ve seen the iPad become more prevalent in the corporate world – and why not? Its portability is ideal for employees on the go and users are able to blend work and personal use on a single device. Yet, it’s these two benefits that have introduced new security concerns for IT, with the iPad often treated more like a grown up iPhone than a corporate computer.

Of course, the laid back attitude towards iPad security is understandable. Tablet adoption has been predominantly driven by consumer usage, with public Wi-Fi and cloud computing making it simple to upload and download files and applications at will – whether Angry Birds, grocery coupons or the latest corporate PowerPoint.  But, the freedom of anytime, anywhere access, combined with the increased volume of corporate data being shared via iPads, has blurred the lines between corporate access and casual entertainment.

Yet, the harsh reality is that malicious apps and malware are the number one security threat to tablet computers, followed by public Wi-Fi eavesdropping.  Phishing attacks are phishing attacks, whether your users are on a PC or an iPad, and enterprises need to implement the same strong security measures regardless of the device.

So, what’s an IT group to do?

Individuals should be able to send, share, and access files and applications, while you ensure they’re protected from malicious content. Accellion Secure Mobile Apps is one viable option – providing around-the-clock secure access to files to a range of mobile devices, plus encrypting documents for future, offline use. Plus, if the device is ever lost or stolen, administrators can easily block access remotely and reset credentials.

Let’s face it: your employees were likely attracted to the iPad because it makes their life easier – and maybe a little more fun. So, the key is to boost security while enabling employees to work and interact exactly as they do today.  The discussion on tablet security is far from over, so look for more insight on our blog.

Today, malicious apps and malware continue to be the number one security threat in tablets, followed by public Wi-Fi eavesdropping. Tablets can easily be infected by clicking on a malicious link or by entering company credentials into a phishing page mimicking itself as a challenge page.

While we’ve seen examples of the mobile platform companies proactively addressing malware attacks – the iPad 2 Smart Cover security hole fixed by Apple’s iOS 5.0.1 release and Android’s 58 malicious applications, which were downloaded onto 260,000 devices before Google remotely wiped the devices clean – it’s simply not enough. Not to mention, these remedies aren’t always applicable to tablet devices, with only a small percentage maintaining an always-on 3G connection, making it nearly impossible to implement a real-time security fix.

Two ways that mobile platform companies have typically remedied security holes exposed by malware: OS security re-architecture or stricter entry programs into app stores. However, the stricter the app adoption rules and implementation restrictions (so as to not allow a bad app into an app store), the less number of apps enter the market in a given time. While Apple has the luxury of highly scrutinizing the apps it approves, Android–coming from behind—has looser controls in an effort to balance innovation with security.

The recent Smart Cover security hole uncovered in iPad 2 and fixed by Apple’s iOS 5.0.1 release is the OS remedy; and Android’s 58 malicious applications, which were downloaded onto around 260,000 devices before Google eventually admitted it and wiped them from devices remotely, is an app store remedy.

Both of these remedies are not acceptable solutions for enterprises. Enterprise IT heads cannot wait for a new OS release or a re-evaluation by the app store when a malicious attack is siphoning confidential data from thousands of devices. The situation gets even more critical when malicious apps get on tablet devices. Unlike smartphones, most tablets are still tethered devices. Only a small percentage of them have always-on 3G connection through which a remedy can be applied immediately.

Accellion Secure Mobile Apps give enterprise tablet users the ability to securely share, edit, send and receive files in their workspace without the fear of a malicious app or link compromising their content and identity.

Accellion Secure Mobile Apps work in conjunction with Accellion Secure Collaboration to keep everything in an encrypted, secure, private container, even if a tablet user decides to download a file onto its local drive.

Should malware infect an Accellion Secure Mobile Apps user device, nothing is lost. Or, if it tries to access the tablet’s local drive, it will see nothing but a bunch of encrypted files. Users could be on an iOS, Android or BlackBerry device, and it will behave the same.

And then there is the internal threat, when people get distracted and leave behind their device by accident. If there is sensitive corporate data on the tablet and the device ends up in the wrong hands, it could easily lead to a reportable data breach. With Accellion, IT has control and management over the application, so if a device is lost or stolen, Accellion administrators can easily block access remotely and reset credentials.

Look for the discussion about tablet security to continue on this blog, but in the meantime, the more you use your tablet like a laptop, the more you should consider taking security measures.

An article in GigaOM citing new research by Unisys on the consumerization of IT recently piqued my interest.   According to the research, IT pros underestimate the use of consumer technologies in the workplace by a whopping 50%.  In fact, IT decision-makers gave themselves a rating of only 2.9 for overall support of employee owned mobile devices, social applications and integration of social apps with enterprise applications.  According to Isabella Mark, director of Global Solution Management at Unisys, IT is falling behind in addressing and benefiting from consumer technologies due to the sheer volume they now have to deal with.  Each new technology that employees bring into the workplace is another technology that IT needs to figure out how to use, manage, or perhaps even ban.

For many, Dropbox represents the poster child for the consumerization of IT.  Free and easy to get your hands on, the Dropbox consumer file sharing app has spread like wild fire through organizations.  And now IT and security teams are grappling with how to deal with the security risks of unmanaged, untracked file sharing of enterprise data via personal Dropbox accounts.  Learn more about the privacy concerns of consumer file sharing apps that stem from the consumerization of IT in our latest whitepaper, “Beyond Dropbox: Requirements of Enterprise Class Secure File Sharing.”  While Accellion’s solutions are enterprise-class, they are created for ease-of-use, and also provide the security and management that IT requires.

Stillman, J. (2011, November 18). Consumerization study: It pros swamped, behind on mobile. Retrieved from http://gigaom.com/collaboration/consumerization-study-it-pros-swamped-behind-on-mobile/

In 2010, Oracle surveyed more than 3,000 people from around the globe to discover how people communicate. The overwhelming response was mobile, mobile, mobile. In 2011, Oracle conducted a second survey calling it The Future of Mobile Communications-Take Two. This upgraded report delivered interesting results about mobile phone usage and the perceptions of mobile devices.

I don’t think we have to discuss the “bring your own device” (BYOD) trend or the fact that employees are using mobile devices to share files & access business applications. The lightning fast proliferation of data hungry users is the thing that organizations and IT managers are trying to manage. The respondents of Oracle’s 2011Future of Mobile Communications-Take Two report confirm that these trends are permanent. That’s bad news for our telephone booth frequenting super hero.

How data hungry were the users from the survey? Over the past year alone, mobile data usage increased 47%. Even more remarkable is the fact that 55% of those surveyed reported having downloaded a mobile app, up significantly from 42% in 2010.  The most dangerous threats posed by downloaded mobile apps are well-documented in Veracode’s Mobile app top 10 list. Even more notable was the fact that 25% of mobile web users are mobile only.

When respondents were asked if they think that information stored or transmitted with a mobile device is secure, the results were disproportionate. Thirty-two percent of those asked thought their information was secure. Sixty-eight percent said that they didn’t think the information stored or transmitted with a mobile device was secure.

People can be their own worst enemy when it comes to security.  Ten percent of all iPhone users have 0000 or 1234 as a device password. The fact that there are mobile data security programs available and not being used is indefensible.

For all these reasons, mobile devices are the most popular target for data theft.  In several upcoming blog posts we will discuss some Dos and Don’ts of mobile device security and take a closer look at mobile security compliance.

Nagar, M. (Designer). (2011). Introduction and evolution. [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://www.bluegenietech.com/blog/tag/history-of-mobiles/

A recent article in CMSWire reminds us all of the importance of information sharing in successful organizations. The need to share and collaborate is not new at all. We can go back to 1620 when a boat filled with more than one hundred people sailed across the Atlantic to settle the New World.

The first winter for the Pilgrims was very difficult because they had arrived too late to plant crops. However, next spring  Native Americans shared valuable information about native crops. In the autumn of 1621, the colonists harvested plentiful crops of corn, barley, beans and pumpkins. The colonists had much to be thankful for, and a feast was planned. The local Indians brought deer to roast with turkey and other wild game. This spirit of sharing and collaboration between the Pilgrims and Indians made it possible for the early settlers to prosper in the New World.

Today many businesses thrive on the same “need to share” mindset that the Indians and Native Americans demonstrated back in 1620.

In this season of sharing, Accellion has a few tips for sharing corporate information securely with colleagues, customers, partners, and vendors in order to create more productive enterprises.

1.Choose a secure file sharing solution that is simple enough for employees to use, but secure enough for IT. When secure file sharing is easy, employees make it as part of their daily routine and organizations encourage it.

2.Implement a solution that works across corporate boundaries. When both internal and external users can be authenticated to use the solution, information shared among partners, vendors, and suppliers is protected.

3.Select a solution that provides support for native applications for iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices to provide secure mobile access to files and folders. When secure file sharing is ubiquitous, there is no excuse for using unsecure workarounds.

4.Find a solution that integrates with your existing enterprise IT infrastructure, including SharePoint, iManage, active directory, archiving systems, mobile device management and data loss prevention (DLP) systems. When secure file sharing works along-side existing infrastructure, no one loses out. Investments are not wasted.

5.Select a solution that provides the reporting functionality needed to demonstrate compliance with industry regulations such as PCI, SOX, and HIPAA. When organizations need to not only protect sensitive data, but also demonstrate compliance, sophisticated reporting is a must have feature.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Accellion Team!