UK Legal Profession warned of the importance of information security

/in , ,

A number of sources have recently published some salutary information on the need for improved security among the UK’s professional practioner community.  Digital Law have highlighted this in a fairly damning article, which can be viewed by clicking here.  The UK Information Commissioner’s Office has pointed out the need for solicitors and barristers to take greater note of poor security standards, and to draw attention to these when possible.  At present more than 50% of UK law firms use open email services to transfer confidential information.

Whilst not everyone will regard US whistle-blower Edward Snowden as their favourite source of advice on security matters, his recent comments on data security, and in particular the use of Dropbox, make interesting reading.  A number of leading UK security specialists have strongly supported his views.  His comments can be viewed by clicking here.

By providing a highly secure document delivery and storage service, Safe4 overcomes all of these concerns.  Using UK-hosted data centres accredited to ISO-27001, Safe4 is among the most secure services on the internet according to independent testing laboratories.  Annual penetration testing under the auspices of GCHQ through the UK Government’s IT CHECK scheme also helps to ensure that confidential information is managed using the highest standards possible.

If you would like more information on how Safe4 can assist your firm, please use the Contact Us link on this website.

Safe4 teams up with Valeos

/in , , ,

Valeos logo 8 Apr 14

Valeos was created by David Ross in 2014 to bring a range of value-added services to organisations wishing to refresh or extend their offerings.  David has long experience in the insurance industry, and is currently working with a number of insurers who are seeking ways to expand their services.

David feels that introducing Safe4 is an ideal way to bring additional services and capabilities to this sector.  He believes that “the Safe4 secure document delivery and storage service is a perfect fit for many of the organisations I am now working with, and brings real additional value.”

Ben Martin, Safe4 director, agrees.  “Safe4 are delighted to partner with Valeos.  We recognise that the experience and knowledge gained by David through many years in the insurance and financial services sector provides an excellent opportunity for the delivery of a highly secure document delivery and storage service as an extension of the core Valeos proposition.  Safe4 and Valeos will work together to bring these combined benefits to clients in a sector for which total security of information transfer is of prime importance.”

Valeos are based in Leeds, one of the UK’s leading centres for financial and professional services.  Yorkshire-based media have also covered this development, click here for more information.

Safe4 Launches New Website

/in

Safe4 is very pleased to announce the launch of a newly designed website. In developing the new site we have tried to ensure it contains information for both prospective and current customers.

As well as a new design, which you will see roll out across all our material in the coming months – we have restructured the website to help you find the information you need more quickly.

The site is structured around the benefits and features of the Safe4 service that any business will obtain by making use of the solution. While these provide important information we have added a much clearer section on “Business Sectors” which provide specific examples of how the Safe4 service can deliver specific benefits in a range of industries and business sectors.

Covering Legal and Professional, Finance, Property, Health, Public Sector and Corporate uses these pages provide a lot of insight into how Safe4 can supplement your existing processes and deliver significant returns.

We have also taken the opportunity to make it easier to find Case Studies, and detailed White Papers applicable to different industries which provide much more detailed information on how a business can maximise the value of using Safe4.

Finally News and Articles have been provided which list product development news, customer announcements, security advice and other business ideas.

We hope you like the new design and the structure of the information in the site. Please do let us have your feedback and suggestions for more information you would like to see in the system.

Upgraded Infrastructure for Safe4

/in

The infrastructure that runs Safe4 was designed when the service launched in 2010. Implemented at the beginning of the cloud computing revolution, the system has proven amazingly robust delivering exceptionally high levels of availability and security. In the 4 years since the original launch, cloud computing has moved on significantly delivering improvements to performance, manageability and security.

Read more

Safe4 rolls out major update to leading secure document delivery solution

/in

We are very excited to announce the release of an updated version of the Safe4 secure file management solution. There have been many enhancements to the system both visible and behind the scenes to help improve the ease of use, performance and security.

The principal developments that our customers will be able to take advantage of in this update include:

  • One of the key benefits of Safe4 is the ability to quickly invite others to access a vault. We made this process simpler in the last update and in this new version we have improved the process further by creating a new screen to handle the sign up process. This is easier to use, and requires new users to provide less information making it easier to complete the process to be able to access the vault securely.
  • Safe4 has always provided a comprehensive audit trail – now the information in this audit trail has been unlocked by implementing a simple way to report on the activity in our customers’ vaults. The audit trail contains critical information and therefore access to this powerful facitlity has been secured with a further permission setting for provider users.
  • Increasingly applications in the cloud are being linked to day to day solutions to make the use of cloud applications a simple extension of normal work processes. We are pleased to announce that with this release we are providing a comprehensive Application Programming Interface (API) to enable third party applications to integrate seamlessly with Safe4.
  • Many users spend their days working in Microsoft Office. Until now it has been necessary to save documents onto a local disk or a network drive before uploading to Safe4 to deliver to clients. This has been simplfiied in the new release – it is now possible to map a network drive on your PC direct into Safe4 using a standard protocol called WebDAV. This provides a seamless means to access Safe4 and deliver information to clients and other business users. Unlike Dropbox, Box, Google Drive etc, this does not need any additional software to be installed on local PCs; it can be managed by  network administrators and maintains the audit trail, security and permissions that form the foundation of the Safe4 solution.  Importantly it means that the “Save As …” function in MS Office applications can now place documents direct into a Safe4 vault, and that when a file is opened using the Windows interface it can be edited and saved directly back into Safe4 as a new version.
  • It is now possible for users to define an email signature – this can help ensure that the communications sent from Safe4 are compliant with corporate policies for information confidentiality, disclaimers etc. The signature can also contain logos, links and pull information automatically from each user’s profile.
  • At the last release Safe4 added the ability to scan uploaded files for specific keywords, such as confidential, commercial in confidence, etc. This provides an effective barrier to unwanted information leakage. This facility has now been extended and files that are inside ZIP files are now also scanned, further enhancing the robustness and utility of this feature.
  • Behind the scenes a great deal of engineering work has been carried out to increase performance; some pages are now displayed 10 times faster, and security has been further improved.
  • We are also pleased to advise that this new version of Safe4 has undergone a comprehensive independent penetration test and has passed with flying colours.  More will be published on this very soon.

Safe4 has been growing steadily over the past 3 years, and usage records are being broken every month. It is an exciting time for Safe4, and we hope our customers continue to enjoy working with the system and delivering value to their clients. We obviously want to ensure that we meet our users’ expectations and welcome any feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Safe4 Announces the Release of Version 4.1

/in

Safe4 version 4.1 is a significant new release that has added a host of new capabilities to the system.  These include:

  • Refactored PIN entry and confirmation.  The login page looks a little different, and handles login data more securely.
  • Both username and password are case-sensitive when using the WebDAV connection facility.
  • A global timeout value of 30 minutes has been set.  This time period will commence from the last keystroke or mouse movement.  The timeout in earlier versions of Safe4 had a less well controlled timing value.
  • Removal of the need for a user to re-enter their PIN when accessing a PIN-controlled provider account or client vault after initial login using PIN.  This saves time when moving between client vaults that are secured by use of the PIN.
  • Improvements to File/Folder Search function – added folder information.  The appearance and clarity of the results screen have been improved.
  • Text in the subject line of email notification messages has been altered to include the provider name instead of “Safe4”.  Messages received by Safe4 users now have stronger provider branding.
  • An Archive facility has been added to allow all of the files and folders within a client vault to be downloaded as a single ZIP file for removal from the system, or for storage elsewhere within Safe4. This can enable very rapid and effective conclusion of a project, for instance, or a data room in the context of mergers and acquisitions.
  • A quick client search in the provider client management screen, with an alpha index at the top of the client list.  For providers with large numbers of client vaults, rapid access can be gained to the vault in question.
  • Change to the way in which clients lists are displayed, allowing the vault size and the number of files within each vault to be displayed on the provider client management screen.
  • A comments facility within the Single File Upload function, to add a narrative when uploading a new file, or a new version of an existing file.  This can be viewed by hovering over the filename after upload.  This is particularly helpful when adding a narrative to accompany the upload of a new version of a document.
  • Addition of the option to restrict the type of file that can be uploaded to a client vault, or at provider level, through an extension whitelist facility.  Only files with the permitted extension can be uploaded.
  • Ability to copy currently-registered users when a client vault is cloned.  Users will be able to see and access the new vault on their next login without requiring another invitation.
  • Ability to invite new users when a client vault is cloned, and for email message content to be added within the same function.
  • Rapid setup of new client vaults, with the ability to invite users as part of the vault creation process.  Email message content can also be added at this stage.  For the creation of new legal matters, this saves time and makes the process much simpler.
  • Improved screens for managing provider and client details, with tabbed separation of configuration parameters.
  • More flexible use of information fields within provider configuration.
  • Alteration of the provider client management screen display, to simplify the actions which can be performed on each client vault through an Actions button.  Access to vault users can be gained directly from this screen, without having to open up the vault in question.
  • Ability to select to view active or inactive client vaults within the provider client management screen.
  • The option to scan for protectively marked files.  This will scan uploaded file metadata for a specified text string, and if found will reject the uploaded file.  The uploading user and the nominated administrator will be advised by email of the failed attempt to upload.
  • The option to scan for password-protected files.  If a password is detected, the upload will be rejected.
  • When the file scanning option is selected, Safe4 will also check each uploaded file to ensure that the file format matches the extension.  Any which do not match, or have had their extension altered, will be rejected.  This will relate to commonly-used file formats only, such as MS Office, pdf, jpg.
  • The file details window (audit trail) will show provider users all file-related activities for all users, but for client users will only show their own activity.  Confidentiality is thus improved.
  • Within a client vault, when viewing the list of users the telephone number of each user is displayed as well as email address.
  • The method of viewing image files such as pdf and jpg has been altered. These files will now be displayed within a new browser tab.  Editable files, such as MS Office format files, will be opened using the native application as before.

Safe4 continue to enhance the platform and are already planning the content of the next release.

Reporting of carbon emissions is becoming an issue – and soon

/in , , , , ,

New legislation will shortly be putting pressure on many organisations to reduce their carbon footprint.  This applies to small and medium-sized companies too, if they are suppliers to either public-sector organisations, or corporates that fall within the scope of the UK Carbon Reduction Commitment requirements (annual energy expenditure of more than £500,000, or listed on the LSE main exchange).

But before any organisation can start to think about reporting on their carbon footprint, they must of course measure it – what is the starting point?  This will almost certainly involve the need for specialist skills and tools – hence the importance of the partnership between Safe4 and Co2conut.  Safe4 can assist with bringing down carbon emissions by reducing dependence on paper and hard-copy information deliveries; Co2conut can provide expert guidance, and access to tools that will help with the accurate measurement of current emissions.

How does this issue affect your business?  We would be glad to hear from anyone who has a view on this issue – please post your blog entry below.

Simplified access and usability key features of Safe4 secure document delivery platform

/in

With Version 4.0 the Safe4 platform, used by professionals in the Legal, Finance, Property and Government sectors to securely transmit documents to clients and business partners has taken a dramatic step into the future.

The Provider user interface for Safe4 has changed substantially, and the system has been enhanced in a number of ways.  The major changes are:

  • For users with more than one Provider account, these are now shown with appropriate branding on the Home screen
  • Clients are listed directly you enter the Safe4 Provider screen
  • The Provider functions that were previously accessed through tabs are now contained within the panel to the left of the screen
  • Performance has been further improved
  • A new title bar has been added at the top of the screen, with access to History, Notifications, Help and My Account
  • The My Account option now includes the logout facility
  • It is possible to place a link to an external website, together with the ability to carry across an account number, on the Files and Folders section visible to each client
  • The Provider management console now allows Provider users to upload logos to personalise the branding of the system
  • Users will now have the ability to restore recently-deleted files into the folder from which they were deleted
  • The file upload process has been made faster and more secure
  • Folder management buttons are now shown in the Folders panel, to the left of the screen

Importantly, Safe4 now has the option of enabling access through WebDAV (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning).  This means that Safe4 can be made visible to users through Windows as a mapped drive, and through mobile devices that support WebDAV, such as the Apple iPad.  Safe4 are offering a service to assist you to set up this facility if you wish your users to access the Safe4 service in this way.

Your clients will also see some substantial improvements:

  • The Client user interface has changed, although all of the previous functions are still avaliable
  • A new title bar allows you to access the History, Notifications, Help and My Account functions.  The Logout option is now accessed through My Account
  • Your Provider has the option of adding a direct link to an external website; this will be visible in the Files and Folders view if it has been enabled
  • Recently deleted files can now be restored to the folder from which they were deleted
  • The file upload function has been made faster and more secure, and the Upload button has been moved to the the space above the list of files within a folder
  • Folder management buttons are now contained within the panel to the left of the screen

Significant performance improvements with new version of Safe4

/in

Many document-sharing business processes require the ability to manage multiple versions of a file within a single record, so that the history of changes can be tracked more easily. This facility is now available as a standard funcion with the latest release of Safe4.

The addition of file versioning follows feedback from a number of customers and users, who need to manage files throughout a lifecycle.  The simplicity of the Safe4 user interface makes it quick and easy to see that files have earlier versions, each of which can be viewed if required.  Earlier versions can also be “restored” to become the current version again if necessary.  When a file is added to the system with the same name as one already present in a folder, the new file will be visible as the current, or released, version.

Performance of Safe4 has also been dramatically improved, with some of the system functions now being shortened by up to 90% against v3.5.

Safe4 Moves All Customer Data to the UK

/in ,

Moving to the UK

You will have seen the announcement by Ben that we have moved the hosting of the Safe4 system from servers based in the US to the UK, where the majority of our current customers are based.

This means that all your files and data are now stored in the UK. This can, in most cases, make it much easier for you to comply with Data Protection requirements.

Background

Like a lot of internet services, Safe4 is run in the “cloud”, which provides you as customers with fast connectivity and gives us, as a service provider, flexibility, resilience and much easier growth without the headaches of buying, installing and maintaining a lot of hardware.

When we started Safe4, almost 2 years ago, we considered a number of options when we selected our cloud provider including capability and location in the decision. We eventually selected Rackspace, despite at the time their not having a UK offering on the basis of their very comprehensive service, fast connectivity, security and their outstanding support. We knew in making this decision that Rackspace were developing a UK based service and that we would move when the need arose.

The “need” became much more important during 2011 as we grew and new customers have asked, increasingly, for their data to be based in the UK. So we have taken advantage of the availability of cloud infrastructure in the UK to “move house.”

A lot of planning is needed in order to achieve the move with as little disruption to our customers as possible. In the end the site was unavailable for a little less than 25 minutes overnight one day last week – the real test is whether you actually noticed?

Making the move

It is an honour that you trust us with your business data, and it is something we take very seriously indeed – it is not acceptable for us if there is any risk of missing data!

Therefore one of the key challenges we had to solve was how we moved all of the files that have been uploaded to the system and know beyond any doubt that every file had transferred successfully to its new home. It was therefore not enough to simply “copy” the files – the real challenge was to establish whether we had successfully moved ALL of the files that the system stores.

In the end the only way we could satisfy ourselves that the move of the files was successful was to write a dedicated tool that moved the files one at a time, and then validated that the file had been successfully moved. The final run of the tool took over 3 days to move every file. The tool was very successful making it easy for us to see the progress of the move and to satisfy ourselves that the move was successful.

Designing in scale

We took advantage of the planned move to redesign how we implement the infrastructure that runs the system, to allow us to grow more easily in the future and to build in more resilience into the service. We have also changed some of the configuration of the application servers to further improve the security of your information.

We believe that our new infrastructure is better placed to grow as the needs of our customers increase and the Safe4 business continues to grow at the rate it has over the last year.

What’s next?

We have some major development activity planned for this year, beginning with an update to the service that will provide Safe4 with the ability to track multiple versions of the files on the system.  Look out for this update in the next couple of weeks.