As a technology administrator at a major healthcare administration company, sending and receiving sensitive files between various systems used to be a daily grind and a consistent source of stress. We were using PC-based freeware FTP tools and the built in FTP functions on the IBM iSeries. The best we could do with scripting was to use CL command scripts to call the FTP function and hard code the login information. RPG programs would then call the CL scripts and retrieve and send the needed files, but there were insufficient logs and alerts for such automated activities.

The biggest headache for me was that these scripts, and the resultant sending of files, had to be error-free and reliable! Add to that the pressure of knowing how critical exchanging files is to the operation of the business and the challenge of  having a single person responsible for its success — it all became an unrealistic expectation.  On top of this, because most of these files are sent over the Internet, and because of the inadequate tools we had at hand, the security of our FTP processes was insufficient.

I knew it was time to find a better solution and after doing some evaluation of available managed file transfer products for IBM iSeries, I selected GoAnywhere™ Director from Linoma Software.

Our installation of GoAnywhere Director made a huge difference almost immediately.

First, Director provides me with all the possible security protocols available, including SFTP, FTPS, and standard FTP with PGP encryption.  It also has powerful scripting functions to login to HTTP and HTTPS sessions in order to automate logins to partner sites for file transfers.

Director makes it possible to automate all of the company’s file transfers with a schedule and log so we know the path and time of every transaction.  Alerts are automatically sent to us if there are any problems, or if we wish, every time it succeeds.  Responsibility can be distributed to various departments as needed to receive these alerts and/or to begin the execution of the transfers when ready.

The simple-to-navigate web interface makes it easy for any user to view, verify, change and execute these file transfers.  The scripting is easy for the average user to setup. If there are any challenges that we come up against with our file transfer processes, Linoma support has always been extremely effective at showing me how to do a successful execution.

I know how frustrating it can be to initiate, monitor, and track the ever increasing number of file transfers my company requires, especially without an all-in-one tool like managed file transfer.  It amazes me how many IT people still don’t realize there’s a better way to do things — a way that gives them more control, and more time to devote to all the other projects demanding their attention.  I know managed file transfer — and specifically GoAnywhere Director — changed my life at work.  I hope more of my IT colleagues discover the advantages soon.

Daniel Cheney

Daniel has been the IT Director at a healthcare company for the last 12 years and a longtime beneficiary of GoAnywhere Director and the IBM i platform. He is also a freelance writer for various technical and social media projects.

Website - More Posts

We’re always looking for new ways to illustrate the power and versatility of our GoAnywhere suite of secure file transfer and encryption solutions.  Very simply, GoAnywhere helps you streamline, encrypt and automate your file transfer processes to save time and money while meeting ever-growing compliance requirements.

Still, we find it’s sometimes challenging to quickly explain the power and convenience of our managed file transfer software, so we’re excited to introduce some brand new videos to showcase the flexibility and control GoAnywhere clients have.

GoAnywhere’s suite of secure file transfer solutions helps you manage all of your organization’s inbound and outbound file transfers — both internally as well as with external trading partners.

With support for virtually any platform and protocol, including FTP, FTPS, SFTP, HTTP/S, AS2, SMTP and ZIP, GoAnywhere puts local control of the entire process into one intuitive dashboard.  GoAnywhere eliminates the need for custom scripts, generates detailed audit logs, and provides a rich catalog of features for comprehensive management, all without additional hardware or specialized skills.

If you’d like to test drive a free trial, let us know.  We’d also love to hear what you think of our videos!

Susan Baird

Susan is the Marketing Manager at Linoma Software, helping promote our secure file transfer and encryption solutions. Her specialty is content creation and social media marketing, and you can find out more about her by viewing her LinkedIn profile.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

The data breach at Citigroup in May – a breach which reportedly exposed an estimated 200,000 customer accounts – has motivated members of the U.S. Congress to re-introduce legislation to penalize the very organizations that have been victimized by hackers.  What are the next steps your company should take?

New bills to protect consumers’ personal data

Two bills are proposed by both House and Senate legislators.

First, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has introduced the Personal Data Privacy and Security Act of 2011.  The new bill provides:

• Tough criminal penalties for individuals who intentionally or willfully conceal a security breach involving personal data;
• A requirement that companies that maintain personal data establish and implement internal policies to protect data privacy and security; and
• A requirement that the government ensure sensitive data is protected when the government hires  third-party contractors.

This act would also require, under threat of fine or imprisonment, that businesses and agencies notify affected individuals of a security breach by mail, telephone or email  “without unreasonable delay.” Media notices would be required for breaches involving 5,000 or more people.  The FBI and the Secret Service would need to be notified if the breach affects 10,000 or more people, compromises databases containing the information of one million or more people, or impacts federal databases or law enforcement.

But that’s not the only security bill that has businesses concerned.

In the House, Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Ca) is holding hearings in preparation of a bill she’s named The SAFE (Secure and Fortify) Data Act that would also require “reasonable security policies and procedures” to protect consumers and enable disclosures to victims and the Federal Trade Commission within 48 hours of a data breach.

Companies no longer viewed as the victims

All this sounds good from the consumer’s point of view. But what about the expense – and potential penalties – suffered by the “owners” of the data: the businesses themselves?

While these bills may address the public’s interest for notification — and indeed they would bring some semblance of a national standard – they also represent an interesting shift in the liabilities that companies will face.  How is that?

Though we currently have no federal data breach notification law, federal policies now view the companies that experience a data breach as the victims of crime. However, under the proposed legislative bills, companies that do not act quickly to appropriately secure the personal data of customers – or fail to report a data breach in a reasonable amount of time – would not only suffer the theft of data, but also be held liable for its loss.

This is a significant shift. Companies are now being viewed not as the owners of consumer data, but merely guardians and trustees whose job it is to protect that data or face criminal penalties. And the message is clear: if companies won’t take adequate precautions to secure the sensitive data of our customers, they’ll pay a hefty price.

Where does your company stand?

In a world in which diligent hackers have the power break into seemingly secure networks and systems, what can your company do?

The challenge is first to determine exactly what qualifies as adequate precautions.

A review of the HIPAA HITECH security provisions that took effect last year provides some insight about what the government considers adequate protection.

HITECH strongly recommends the use of encryption technology. Encryption is a good place for your company to start, especially when dealing with the data your company stores on its servers.  If sensitive data itself is kept securely encrypted, a data breach doesn’t expose the content of the information itself.

Secure managed file transfer protocols – which send data using encryption – is the second place to focus attention.

If data is encrypted when it is being securely transmitted between business partners, the value of that data should it be breached – through hacking, theft, or other malicious actions – is worthless.  Encryption and secure managed file transfers can dramatically minimize the holes of technical breaches, significantly reducing an organization’s liability.

Preventing exposure

The Citigroup data breach has rekindled the momentum for a nationwide, cross-industry data breach reporting standard. This standard will not to eliminate the physical breaches themselves. What’s needed is legislation to encourage companies secure the underlying data that is the target of the hackers.

Isn’t it time for your company to take a serious look at its liabilities and to investigate how encryption and managed file transfers can close these important security holes?

Thomas Stockwell

Thomas M. Stockwell is one of Linoma Software's subject matter experts and a top blogger in the industry. He is Principle Analyst at IT Incendiary, with more than 20 years of experience in IT as a Systems Analyst, Engineer, and IS Director.

Website - More Posts

“Cloud Computing” is not for everything and not for everyone, but it has made a permanent mark in the lexicon of technology services.

What is Cloud Computing?

In simplistic terms, the Cloud is any application, file host, or virtual computer that is accessed solely via the Internet. The hardware and software actually running those services could be anywhere and therefore is referred to as being in “the Cloud.” The Cloud originally was the graphic reference for the Internet in a corporation’s network diagram, but now it refers to the services available via the Internet.

Security Concerns in the Cloud

Security professionals have always had concerns over remote file hosting sites (FHSs) and the recent Tech News about services like RapidShare and Dropbox came to light this week confirmed some of those concerns. Data security in the cloud is like a verbal agreement – as good as the paper it’s written on. Yet the general public and some individuals in large corporations flock to these services daily – completely unaware of the security risks or understanding how “The Cloud” works. Personally Identifiable Information and other sensitive data is floating around and often falls out of the cloud, landing in the wrong hands.

Regardless of the encryption or security practices professed by a Cloud provider, once the data leaves your network, you no longer own, control, or are able to audit that data. In the case of a subpoena at a data center, a cyber attack or when a device is stolen from a Cloud host, that data has been compromised.

There are great advantages and cost-savings to using Cloud based options to accomplish certain business goals. Renting processing time and applications can work out to a lower Total Cost of Ownership, but beaware of the strings attached. I have taken many applications for test-drives in the Cloud, but when I am responsible for transferring sensitive data on which my employer’s integrity and liability are on the line, I prefer using a secure managed file transfer product to drive through the Cloud.

A Secure File Transfer Solution

Connections that are configured correctly will securely send and retrieve files that meet or exceed compliance requirements. The GoAnywhere managed file transfer solution easily encrypts, securely sends and processes data over your existing Internet connection. The GoAnywhere Director automated file transfer application also securely transforms data between platforms and provides native XML scripting.

Subscribe to this Blog for the next installment: Fuel Efficient Hybrid-Clouds and Going Green with Server Virtualization.

Linoma Software - Staff Writer

Website - More Posts

Managed File Transfer (MFT) systems are great for policy enforcement, access authentication, risk reduction, and more. But for HIPAA and HITECH requirements, MFT shines as a work-flow automation tool.

MFT as the B2B Enabler

It shines because Managed File Transfer systems are actually automation platforms that can help companies streamline the secure transfer of data between business partners. How? It removes many of the configuration steps traditionally required for complex Business-to-Business (B2B) processes, keeping it straightforward and manageable.

Transferring patient information is a difficult challenge which many healthcare institutions are facing. Data standards were supposed to simplify this communication between healthcare institutions and their partners. But ask any technical professional about the underlying variability of data formats, and you’ll hear a tale of potential confusion and complexity.

Nightmares of Compliance

The HITECH regulations within HIPAA require the security and privacy of healthcare records, strongly suggesting the use of data encryption. These records may travel between various healthcare-related partners including hospitals, clinics, payment processors and insurers. Each partner may require their own unique data format, and each may prefer a different encryption technique or transport protocol.

Considering these differing requirements, adding each new trading partner has traditionally needed the attention of in-house programming or manual processes, which has become hugely inefficient. Furthermore, if the new trading partner is not implemented properly, this can also create the potential for errors that may lead to data exposures. Any exposures could move the healthcare institution out of HIPAA/HITECH compliance and may cost them severely.

Simplifying and Integrating Information Transfer

A Managed File Transfer (MFT) solution can significantly reduce the potential for errors and automate those processes. With a good MFT solution, any authorized personnel should be able to quickly build transfer configurations for each healthcare business partner. This should allow for quick selection of strong encryption methods (e.g. Open PGP, SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS) based on the partner’s requirements, so that HITECH requirements are maintained. At the same time, a MFT solution creates a visible audit trail to ensure that compliance is sustained.

But, perhaps just as important, a good Managed File Transfer solution is constructed as a modular tool that can be easily integrated into existing software suites and workflow processes. In fact, a good MFT is like a plug-able transfer platform that brings the variability of all kinds of B2B communications under real management.

Now extend the MFT concept beyond the healthcare business sector, into manufacturing, finance, distribution, etc. Suddenly MFT isn’t a niche’ utility, but a productivity and automation tool that has myriad uses in multiple B2B environments.

A Day-to-day Technical Solution

Perhaps this is why the Gartner Group has identified Managed File Transfer as one of the key technologies that will propel businesses in the coming years. It’s more than just a utility suite: It’s a system that can be utilized over and over as an integral part of an organization’s solutions to automate and secure B2B relationships. In other words, MFT isn’t just for specialized compliance requirements, but a lynch-pin of efficient B2B communications technology that can bring real cost savings to every organization.

Healthcare Case Study Utilizing a MFT Solution: Bristol Hospital Takes No Risks with Sensitive Data

Thomas Stockwell

Thomas M. Stockwell is one of Linoma Software's subject matter experts and a top blogger in the industry. He is Principle Analyst at IT Incendiary, with more than 20 years of experience in IT as a Systems Analyst, Engineer, and IS Director.

Website - More Posts

A data breach is closer than you think. As the percentage of data breaches increase, the risk of organizations losing your sensitive data also increases. No one wants to receive the news that some or all of their personally identifiable information (PII) was stolen. There are people who are victims of various phishing scams, but it is more likely that your information will be leaked or stolen from an organization.

The health care industry is currently in the spotlight, as they are moving to mandated Electronic Health Records (EHR) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is investigating the two main health care related data privacy concerns today: how to protect patient information and what is the financial harm or cost per record if it is stolen.

The numbers are staggering. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (www.privacyrights.org), there have already been 47 reported leaks or breaches in the health care realm this year. That is about one every other day (102 additional reported breaches if counting business and government).

In the world of data security; breaches are no longer thought of in terms of “if,” but “when.” Fortunately, there are easy steps companies and health care organizations can take to protect the PII that they maintain from direct hacking attempts. The procedures data security companies recommend you acquire begin with the following:

• Require strong passwords
• Use encryption to protect files in motion and at rest
• Reduce the number of computers that process sensitive information
• Audit every transaction
• Limit the number of accounts that can access the critical data

The organization you own or work for doesn’t have to be the next headline, start researching different options to protect your customer’s sensitive data and keep your organization from a possible breach. The fines and surcharges are exponentially higher than purchasing a secure managed file transfer solution or a database encryption tool. Not sure where to start? Read the Top 10 Managed File Transfer Considerations.

Linoma Software - Staff Writer

Website - More Posts

We hear a lot of buzz about protecting both customer and company data, but it is alarming how few IT departments and enterprise users are protecting their data correctly. A recent survey conducted for Oracle reveals that fewer than 30 percent of their respondents are encrypting personally identifiable information.

Data and network security should be the basis for every IT decision, but it is typically an afterthought. The Oracle report also concludes that half of companies surveyed profess a strong commitment to data security, but only 17 percent of them have begun to scratch the surface.

Lack of data security is often due to corporate culture and the fear of change. Most companies at the corporate level agree they are committed to data security and protecting customer records. If a company’s official stance is to protect their data, where are the security holes?

In my experience, the largest security holes exist in the departments outside the core IT organization. They don’t place the same value on the data as the IT Security team. Many companies still allow their employees to perform file transfers directly from their desktops and laptops using FTP or other unsecure tools. Not only are these ad-hoc methods unsecure and capable of exposing passwords or entire databases, they do not all function alike and do not provide centralized logs.

Educating employees about the dangers of unsecured and/or unnecessary data transfer is more business-friendly than preventing it altogether. Part of this process should be moving everyone to a managed file transfer methodology, like Linoma Software’s GoAnywhere Director. This not only secures your data transfers, but it creates a digital paper trail showing where assets are going – something which is of particular importance when you consider all the data security compliance regulations in effect today.

Data security for the millions of files sent over the Internet or within “the cloud” is of great importance to all industries, including health care, retail, banking and finance. Internet transfers include the critical data needed to conduct business, such as customer and order information, EDI documents, financial data, payment information, and employee- and health-related information. Many of these information transfers relate to compliance regulations such as PCI, SOX, HIPAA and HITECH, state privacy laws, or other mandates.

We need to grow a data security culture that includes securing file transfers.

Linoma Software - Staff Writer

Website - More Posts

The new 3.5 release of GoAnywhere Director is now available with more features to help organizations automate, secure and manage file transfers.

In this new release, GoAnywhere Director provides simpler access to files and folders on Network Shares. It can also connect to enterprise Message Queues (e.g. WebSphere MQ) for better integration with customer applications. The new version also includes “File Monitors” which can be used to easily scan for new, modified and/or deleted files in targeted folders. Additionally, this release includes the ability to auto-resume file transfers if FTP and secure FTP connections are broken.

In addition, better High Availability (HA) capabilities allow GoAnywhere Director to store configurations in customer database systems including SQL Server, MySQL and DB2 for IBM I (iSeries). This allows customers to manage and replicate this data using in-house database and HA tools.

I’ll say it again, that of all the tools I have purchased over 28 years in I.T. GoAnywhere Director is my favorite! ~ Don McIntyre, Kansas City, Missouri School District

Read the press release  > >

Linoma Software - Staff Writer

Website - More Posts

FTP was designed as an easy mechanism for exchanging files between computers at a time when networks were new and information security was an immature science. In the 1970s, if you wanted to secure a server from unwanted access, you simply locked the computer room door. User access to data was controlled by the basic User ID and password scenario. (Right is a reminder of how much technology has advanced since the 1970s. The photograph,  taken December 11, 1975, is the Apollo Project CSM Simulator Computers and Consoles. Photo Courtesy of NASA.)

The Internet did not yet exist and the personal computer revolution was still a decade away.

Today, the security of business file transfers is of paramount importance. The exchange of business records between computing systems, between enterprises, and even across international borders has become critical to the global economy.

Yet, the original native FTP facility of TCP/IP wasn’t designed for the requirements of the modern, globally connected enterprise. FTP’s basic security mechanisms – the User ID and password — have long ago been outdated by advances in network sleuthing technologies, hackers, malware, and the proliferation of millions of network-attached users.

Risks associated with using native (standard) FTP include:

• Native FTP does not encrypt data.
• A user’s name and password are transferred in clear text when logging on and can therefore be easily recognized.
• The use of FTP scripts or batch files leaves User IDs and passwords in the open, where they can easily be hacked.
• FTP alone, does not meet compliance regulations. (For example: HIPAA, SOX, State Privacy Laws, etc.)
• When using an FTP connection, the transferred data could “stray” to a remote computer and not arrive at their intended destination leaving your data exposed for third parties or hackers to intercept.
• Conventional FTP does not natively maintain a record of file transfers.

The first step is to examine how FTP is being used in your organization. The next step is to identify how your organization needs to manage and secure everyone’s file transfers. The final step is to evaluate what type of Managed File Transfer Product your company needs.

For more information download our White Paper – Beyond FTP: Securing and Managing File Transfers.

Linoma Software - Staff Writer

Website - More Posts

Highly sensitive data is frequently exchanged between organizations. For instance, a business will routinely transmit financial information to their bank including payroll direct deposits and ACH payments. These transactions most likely contain sensitive elements like bank account numbers, routing numbers, social security numbers and payment information.

Industry-specific transactions may also contain highly sensitive data. For example, in the health care business, patient records are regularly exchanged between hospitals, doctors and payment providers. In the insurance business, policy information is often transmitted between carriers. This information may contain names, addresses, birth dates, social security numbers and other private information.

Loss of sensitive data can result in great financial expense, lawsuits and public embarrassment for the affected organization. Therefore it is no surprise that industries are setting new regulations and standards to address the security of their data.  For instance:

• PCI DSS requires that credit card numbers are encrypted while “at rest” and “in motion”.  Failure to do so can result in severe fines and potential loss of your merchant account.
• HIPAA requires that healthcare records are secured to protect the privacy of patients.
• State privacy laws require that customers are notified if their personal information may have been lost or stolen. Some states will also assess large fines against organizations if this data is not protected properly.

Organizations should consider compliance requirements and regulations when looking for a Managed File Transfer solution. An effective solution should have a number of encryption methods available to protect sensitive data including SSL, SSH, AES and Open PGP encryption. Audit trails should also be in place to track file transfer activity so you can easily determine what files are being sent, what time they are sent, who the sender and receiver is, and so on. If you are looking for a comprehensive solution be sure to check out our GoAnywhere Managed File Transfer Suite.

Related Blog: PCI DSS v2.0

Bob Luebbe

Website - More Posts