Secure data transfer: A must-have for tax consultants & lawyers

Not long ago, secure data transfer was a manageably complex matter: important documents went to the recipient by courier or post and back again. If you wanted to play it safe, you chose registered mail. Safe? Basically, yes. But time-consuming and cost-intensive. 

Data transfer by e-mail is much easier. Quickly pack the contract documents into the attachment and off you go by e-mail - but is it secure? Since the DSGVO, data protection has been a hot topic, but one that tends to be forgotten in day-to-day business. Yet secure data transfer is an absolute must for tax consultants and lawyers!

The dilemma: How can you digitally and securely transfer data in your law firm, such as client information, contracts or tax returns? We show you what you need to consider and which tools are really secure.

Digital instead of paper: Risks & side effects of digitization

In most cases, there is no malicious intent behind it: A client sends you back the draft annual financial statement or contract with a question. You want to respond in a service-oriented manner and click on "reply". The client has the next question, and a whole rat's tail of e-mails containing sensitive data has already begun. 

The consequence is that several risky DSGVO violations are committed even without sinister ulterior motives. Do you recognize yourself in this example? You are not alone in this. As practical as digitization is for tax advisors and lawyers, as well as data transfer online, they come with some typical risks and side effects. 

Do not take any risk! Data transfer - better safe than sorry!

As a lawyer or tax consultant, you need to send files securely - unsecured solutions are not an option. If you open up security gaps through careless action, this can have nasty repercussions, especially since the DSGVO has made penalties even more severe. 

If sensitive data falls into the wrong hands due to your negligence, you can be held liable. Therefore: It is better to rely on a secure solution from the very beginning instead of risking legal consequences or a loss of image later on.

These dangers lurk when data security is breached

Criminal charges and fines of up to 20 million euros may be imposed if you are guilty of a data privacy breach while at work. Further damages and compensation for pain and suffering can follow this sum. In addition, you also lose the trust of your clients. Reason enough to give secure data transfer the space it deserves!

Data transfer online: How can confidential data be sent securely over the Internet?

Despite all the risks, you can't do without digital data transfer. It is therefore all the more important that you send files securely. There are various options available to you for this, which are more or less recommendable:

• E-mail attachment: Better not when it comes to sensitive documents. After all, you have no control over who opens the email and its attachment.
• Encrypted e-mails: That's better. Here, however, the capacity of the attachment could throw a spanner in the works if you want to send large files securely. 
• Physical data carriers: CD and USB stick are still alive! Are they the right choice for secure data transfer? Probably not. How quickly does such a small thing get lost in your pocket - or worse - on the street?
• Cloud services: Not a bad choice for medium-sized data volumes from a purely technical point of view. But since many large providers are based outside the EU, GDPR compliance is not always a given.
• Transfer services: These services usually only make the data available for a defined period of time, which reduces the attack surface for hackers. However, many well-known providers are also located in the USA, which is not considered the best habitat for optimal data protection. 
• Collaboration suite: With a collaboration platform for working with your team and clients, you're moving into safe territory when it comes to data protection. An EU-based provider like IURIO makes compliance with the GDPR a priority, ensuring secure data transfer.

Secure data transfer for free: Is it possible?

What costs nothing is worth nothing? These words are attributed to Albert Einstein, who was undoubtedly a clever man. The fact is, however, that there are free data transfer tools that serve their purpose. However, do you really want to always have to take a close look at where the servers of the tool you are using are located and whether the cyber security is high enough?

When it comes to sensitive data and confidential information, you should leave no questions unanswered. If there's one thing you shouldn't take any chances with, it's your clients' data. Secure data transfer for free: It can be done, but an investment in the security of your client data makes perfect sense.

Here's how: Send sensitive data securely with the IURIO Collaboration Suite 

If you want to securely transfer and manage your clients' data centrally via one platform, the collaboration suite IURIO is the right foundation. The software, which was developed in Austria, offers you and your clients a platform for efficient and completely secure collaboration. Tax consultants, auditors, lawyers and notaries as well as their clients can thus work together in a data-secure manner. 

Within the IURIO Collaboration Suite, you place contracts, tax returns, financial statements and co. in the digital data safes just like your clients, instead of putting them in email attachments. In this way, you can also send large files securely and, for example, also insert a digital signature (tax advisors and lawyers - particularly relevant for you!) and have your clients insert it. 

The basis of every IURIO service package is the secure exchange of data - after all, without data there would be nothing you could work on together. All data is stored and processed in the EU, ensuring DSGVO compliance. You can precisely control access by assigning individual permissions.  

Data transfer online with IURIO is "safety first" right from the start

At IURIO, security comes first. We rely on FIDO2 technology (Fast Identity Online) which is a passwordless multi-factor authentication. This ensures that only you as an authorized user can access your IURIO account - even without complex passwords. It's secure because asymmetric encryption methods are used instead of the usual name-password combo.

When it comes to secure data transfer, IURIO offers the advantage of client-side encryption. This means that the data is already encrypted on your end device, i.e. your office PC or work laptop. Therefore, you can send sensitive data securely, because it is already encrypted on its journey. The same applies to your customers' data managed in IURIO. 

The data centers behind IURIO are certified according to the standards of the International Organization for Standardization. While ISO 27001 stands for the continuous optimization of cyber security, ISO certification 27017 gives the seal of approval for particularly secure cloud computing. ISO certificate 27018, in turn, certifies the protection of personal data in the cloud, a plus for secure data transfer. 

Secure data transfer is a sensible investment for every law firm

Sending important data in paper form is not efficient and transferring data online also has its pitfalls - for a truly secure data transfer, you should therefore rely on a professional solution instead of dealing with the pros and cons of free online tools.

The collaboration suite IURIO offers you the possibility to combine all workflows that are important for your work as a tax consultant or lawyer with secure data transfer on one platform. This way, you leave nothing to chance when it comes to sending sensitive documents. 

In addition to secure data transfer, IURIO also supports you with legal project management in your law firm and offers many other useful features. Are you curious? Then we look forward to hearing from you and advising you on how the collaboration suite can best support you.

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