Email Infallibility Fantasy

Professionals must share digital files frequently, even daily.  Although email is convenient, it is unreliable and insecure.  It exposes them to multiple security risks while in transit as well as when siting on the recipient’s email server.  Copies can hang in the ’ether’ for years and possibly on multiple servers. 

 

"No big deal.  I have nothing to hide,” you say to placate the suspicious voice in your head.

 

I wonder if a ‘rival’—business competitor or former partner, ex spouse, estranged friend, jilted lover, etc.—would think the same.  Should you trust all your past associates with everything you’ve emailed?  What about the early drafts of documents?  Did you send something in a pique?

 

And what about your professional clients and colleagues, are their files secure on your email?  Do they have 'noting to hide'?

 

Unless an email is encrypted, no files are secure.  As a professional, you have an obligation to secure clients and colleagues files.  PPecloud is a secure(r*) alternative than sharing files through email.

 

Your oldest email online

Check the oldest file in your device’s email.

• Open your favourite mail browser.
• Search for "Message has Attachments”.
• or simply a “.pdf” file or any old Subject Header
• Sort the result by date.
• Locate the oldest message with an attachment.
• scroll to the bottom/top depending sort order
• How old is the file?

My oldest is six years, and I’m security conscious.  Likely, that attachment sits on the email server still, unless you’ve taken extra steps to remove the file.  Any file you’ve ever sent, likely, sits on the recipient’s server as well.

 

Check the oldest file on your email server.

• Open your web browser and login to your web email.
• maybe webmail.yourdomain.tld
• Repeat the search process.
• Limit search to ’Sent’ folder to check only files you’ve sent.

How old is the oldest file?  1-? 5-? 10-years?  Most likely it still sits on that server, too, for others' eyes to (ab)use.

 

Secure must mean complicated, correct?  

Big Tech makes oodles of money off this myth.  No, it’s not difficult and requires only a few steps.  PPecloud makes the process simple and, certainly, more secure than email.

 

See how easy

• Select HERE (or the image) to download a .pdf file.
• Its not password protected but usually would be.
• Depending on your web browser, you may need to manually download (right-click or select download).
• Locate the file on your computer.
• probably in your ‘Download’ folder
• Open the file, or not (It’s a PPemail image).

Upload a file to an online folder

• Select this LINK (or the PPecloud upload image).
• A new browser window opens at PPecloud.  Drag-n-drop the file (or use the Finder) to upload to the PPecloud Example Upload folder.
• Click “Upload.”

Yes, that simple.  With your own PPecloud account, you can add a password and expiration date for even better security.

 

Next Steps

• Join PPemail to get your PPecloud account.
• Open your web browser to login to PPecloud.

 

The image shows the steps described below.  The details may be slightly different depending on your device and browser.

• Navigate to any file.
• or upload a file by selecting “All Files>Home>⨁
• Select the ’Share’ icon near file size.
• or right-click on filename and select "Share file”
• Select “+”, in the Sidebar on the “Share link” line
• Select the More (…) icon
• Select Password (we require top-level) & Expiration
• Select “Copy to Clipboard” and paste into an email addressed to the recipient.

 

That’s it.  You’ve just securely shared a file, and you control who can access and for how long.  Clients also can share files using a mobile app because we use Nextcloud products.

 

*Online and Offline Security

Ultimately, nothing online is perfectly secure, just like nothing is perfectly safe in your office.  Sending files via email is like pasting files on your window for anyone walking by to read.  Using PPecloud is analogous to leaving a file on your desk.  And password protecting a file is like locking it inside your desk.  Professionals need to secure their files online too.