Email makes sending and receiving documents quick and easy, but somewhere in your inbox right now, there may be a file you would not want a stranger to access. An old tax return, a signed loan document, or even a copy of your driver’s license can be attached, sent, and forgotten about.
Standard email lacks essential safeguards that protect sensitive information, leaving your information vulnerable if you send or receive those documents by email. At CDF Capital, we believe wise digital stewardship extends beyond your investment decisions. It includes how you choose to share your financial and personal information online.
Why Email Is a Risky Place for Sensitive Files
Think of standard email like a postcard. A message may pass through several servers before it reaches the intended recipient, and once an attachment lands in an inbox, it can sit there for years. If either account is compromised, that old tax document or account statement may be exposed, too. Sometimes the document becomes vulnerable because an email gets forwarded or accidentally sent to the wrong person.
A few categories of information should never be sent through standard email, including:
- Social Security numbers
- Bank account or routing numbers
- Passwords or login credentials
- Scanned copies of government-issued identification, like a driver’s license or passport
- Full credit card numbers
What Are Secure Portals and File-Sharing Services
A secure portal is an online site created to send, receive, or store documents safely. Companies and organizations use them to exchange sensitive documents with clients or patients. If you’ve logged into your financial institution or uploaded your insurance card to your doctor’s website, you probably used a secure portal.
File-sharing services, such as Google Drive and Dropbox, are typically used to share a file with individuals or teams. Rather than attaching the file to an insecure email, you share access through a link. The sharing settings allow you to limit who can access the file.
What Makes a Portal More Secure Than Email
Getting into a portal usually requires a username and password, and often a second check, such as a one-time code sent to your phone as part of multi-factor authentication. Some portals even track who opened your file and when.
Beyond guarding access, reputable secure portals also use encryption to protect files while they are being transferred (in transit) and while they are stored (at rest). Encryption makes the file unreadable by an unauthorized person.
If you receive an unexpected request to upload documents to a portal, don’t immediately comply. It could be a phishing attempt to gain access to your personal data. Instead, go to the organization’s official website or contact them using information you already trust to confirm the request.
Wise Stewardship in a Digital World
Protecting your financial and sensitive documents by using a secure portal is a faithful act of stewardship. If you are ever unsure how to safely send a document to CDF Capital, reach out to us directly. We will walk with you every step of the way.
Stay alert.
Stay wise.
Stay CyberSmart.
