Making file sharing easy and secure

Mimecast has announced Large File Send for Outlook a new service that makes sending large files secure and easy for users but meets the governance and management needs of IT staff. The service will eliminate a common data security or ‘Shadow IT’ threat caused when users turn to consumer cloud file sharing services to send files because their corporate email service prohibits this. With Large File Send the user simply attaches a file to their email in Outlook as usual and presses send. The Mimecast service then intercepts the file, notifies the recipient of their secure download location and passcode. The user never needs to leave Outlook and the file doesn’t burden the email system or leave the network but remains secure and compliant with corporate policies. Mimecast Large File Send for Outlook will be available to customers in August.

The threat to corporate data security from consumer-grade cloud storage and services was identified by IT professionals in a recent report by Freeform Dynamics for Mimecast on Shadow IT. It found that 81 percent of IT teams are concerned that employees are putting sensitive data onto consumer cloud storage and services like Dropbox and Box.

Mimecast Large File Send for Outlook allows users to send files of up to 2GB simply and securely. These large files bypass the Microsoft Exchange server or the Microsoft Office 365 25MB per email limit without impacting the corporate networks performance or clogging the user’s own inbox. Files can be sent to external recipients and non-Mimecast customers.

Grant Fletcher, Product Manager, Mimecast, said: “Before today, organizations either simply block large file sending over their email systems or implement business solutions that are expensive, complicated and unpopular with users. It’s not surprising that users turn to easier-to-use consumer services. Consumer cloud file sharing services have become a Shadow IT menace as using them leads to business critical or confidential information leaving the safety of the controlled corporate network.”

He continued: “Mimecast Large File Send for Outlook is built to solve this problem for the user and the IT team. Users get the ability to securely and easily send very large files both within the corporate network and to external recipients, without having to leave Outlook and go to a third-party cloud service. It’s a win-win for the user and the IT team; large file sending is simple for the user so they don’t need to go outside the corporate network and because of that the IT team solves a major Shadow IT threat.”

How it works?
With Mimecast Large File Send for Outlook the user sends the file as an email attachment within Outlook where it is then automatically held securely in the archive while the recipient receives a notification to download the file using a unique passcode. This process ensures the user’s inbox, the corporate network and storage are not impacted by the sending of large files – while also providing all the required governance and security protection. For the user, they can safely send large files that exceed current restraints without needing to leave their familiar email application or sign up for additional services.

Mimecast Large File Send for Outlook offers:
· End user flexibility – Users can send files up to 2GB directly from Microsoft Outlook. They can also choose to receive download notifications so they can track when files are viewed by recipients or set limitations for how long the file is available. Files can also be sent to external recipients who are not Mimecast customers
· Enhanced security – Content and Data Leak Prevention controls can be set centrally for sensitive information and all file uploads are encrypted (SSL) and stored with AES encryption
· IT visibility and control – Administrators can be notified of policy breaches as well as determine the file size that can be sent and received within the organization
· Increased storage – Large File Send offers increased mailbox storage capabilities and allows policies to be set to stop large attachments from being stored locally in end-user mailboxes