How to secure business documents using passwords and permissions

Businesses handle confidential documents every single day – from sales contracts to intellectual property agreements. So, naturally, keeping company records safe is imperative to prevent breaches and unwanted access.

Fortunately, businesses now have solid options for data security thanks to sophisticated digital tools like a PDF editor. These editors have features like permission settings and passwords that make them excellent choices for file protection.

This article will discuss these and other methods for protecting company documents in the hopes that you will improve your documentation and handling processes in your workplace.

Use password protection

One effective way to keep corporate records safe is to use passwords. A password is required to access restricted resources. Users must enter a unique combination of letters and digits as their passwords when confirming their identity.

However, the quality of your password can make or mar your security efforts. It’s highly recommended that you create complex passwords with a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

This mix makes it infinitely more difficult for brute-force hackers to crack your password and access your information, even with the sophisticated tools available to them.

One effective tool to password-protect your documents is Lumin, an easy-to-use online PDF editor that allows you to add password protection.

With Lumin PDF annotation software, protecting your documents can be as simple as:

1. Open the Lumin software.
2. Sign in and view your documents.
3. Select the document you want.
4. Click File and when the dropdown menu appears, Choose Protect a PDF. From there, click on “Protect with password.”
5. Create a robust password.
6. Re-enter the password. Then, save the password.

This way, you can guarantee that only authorised individuals can access your restricted content when you implement strict security measures.

Add watermarks and logos

Adding a watermark and logo is an effective method for maintaining the confidentiality of shared documents. Watermarks and logos are valuable tools for safeguarding your copyright, ensuring that your creative work cannot be reused or altered without your permission.

Here’s how you can use Lumin, to add watermarks and logos to secure your documents:

1. Sign In to Lumin using your email and password.
2. Click on the Upload button to select the document you want to edit (you can also drag and drop your file into the upload area).
3. Click Edit or Tools and select the option to add a watermark or logo.
4. Review the document after adding the watermark or logo to ensure everything is correctly placed.
5. Save the changes to your document.
6. Download the edited document to your device or save it within Lumin for future access.

These watermarks and logos add a touch of branding and serve as practical tools for recognition, particularly when shared with customers. You can use the PDF to editable PDF converter to add watermarks and logos to your documents.

Embed digital signatures

Embedding a digital signature involves adding it to the document. An embedded digital signature makes the signature permanent and is used for legal or official reasons, such as a sales contract, to ensure document integrity and validity.

Digital signatures offer a clear security advantage over traditional paper signatures. Many PDF editors online use cutting-edge encryption technology to ensure your papers remain secure.

Even in the unlikely event of a server breach, your documents would remain completely unreadable to potential hackers since they are encrypted.

Use authorisation and role-based access control

Role-based access control (RBAC), or role-based security, effectively restricts system access to authorised individuals. Many large companies rely on RBAC to grant employees varying levels of access based on their responsibilities.

By using a PDF modifier online, you can ensure restricted access to sensitive information, guaranteeing that only authorised personnel can access certain files and document it to fulfil their tasks.

Each employee is entitled to specific rights within the organisation's RBAC based on their function. Some employees are granted the privilege to create or edit files, others are limited to viewing them, and the rest can only make suggestions regarding the changes to the document.

Use audit trail and document tracking

Tracking document access, downloads, sharing, and modifications contributes to document security and integrity. Using a PDF highlighter online can help you monitor digital documents in real time and gather data for reporting purposes.

This comprehensive log records all company activities, from operations and processes to various transactions. By using audit trails, you can effectively monitor document activity, detect unauthorised access or alterations, and easily track different versions.

Restrict editing, copying, and printing

It’s crucial to secure sensitive information by implementing document-locking measures that prevent unauthorised editing, copying, printing, saving, or sharing.

Restricting editing is designed to prevent unauthorised individuals from making changes to the document when they edit PDF pages online.

Copying the document's content without proper authorisation is strictly prohibited to ensure the security of confidential data and intellectual property.

Use digital signatures

Using digital signatures is another way to prevent people from tampering with documents' authenticity and integrity. How does it work? Just like handwritten, pen-and-paper signatures! First, you add a digital signature to a document as a stamp of approval to the signer's identity and protect against tampering.

You can electronically sign your document using a PDF tool like Lumin. This method entails electronically signing papers using a digital signature service or program.

Move data to self-hosted servers

Consider migrating your data to self-hosted servers to improve document security. This approach allows you greater control and flexibility in storing and managing sensitive information. By securely housing their servers in well-regulated environments, organisations can significantly reduce the risk of physically losing data.

Self-hosting also allows for extra security measures, such as intrusion detection systems, customised firewalls, and encryption methods tailored to the organisation's requirements.

Delete sensitive documents from archives

Proper disposal of sensitive papers is crucial to secure business documents. Over time, archives can accumulate significant data, including confidential documents that are no longer needed but could pose a security risk if left unchecked.

So, regularly examining and erasing them can help safeguard against data breaches, legal issues, and illegal access. Before that, ensure all sensitive information is thoroughly and systematically audited to avoid oversights.

By ensuring that sensitive files are kept out of archives only for the necessary duration, they are effectively safeguarded against any accidental disclosure or unauthorised access.

Conclusion

In a digital world where information is power, thorough security policies are vital to protecting sensitive information from leaking. Also, there’s a need to ensure company continuity and proactive steps in protecting company papers are essential.

Implementing the strategies above can help your business improve its document management and protect sensitive information effectively.

Copyright 2024. Featured post made possible by Lumin.