How Syncplicity Secures Your Corporate Data — Features & Best PracticesSyncplicity is an enterprise-grade file sync and share platform designed to give organizations control over their data while enabling secure collaboration. This article examines the technical and policy-driven security features Syncplicity offers, how those features reduce risk, and the best practices IT and security teams should follow to get the most protection for corporate data.
Overview: security goals for enterprise file sync & share
Enterprises using a sync-and-share service typically want to:
- Protect sensitive data from unauthorized access and exfiltration.
- Maintain regulatory compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, etc.).
- Provide secure access for employees, contractors, and partners.
- Retain visibility and control over file activity and sharing.
- Ensure business continuity with backups, versioning, and ransomware resilience.
Syncplicity is built to address these goals through layered technical controls, policy enforcement, and integrations with enterprise security infrastructure.
Core technical security features
Encryption
- In-transit encryption: TLS 1.⁄1.3 protects data while moving between clients, mobile devices, and Syncplicity servers.
- At-rest encryption: Files stored on Syncplicity’s cloud (or on-prem storage when using the Syncplicity File Server) are encrypted using strong algorithms.
- Optional server-side or hybrid encryption: Enterprises can choose where and how encryption keys are managed, including integrations with customer-managed key solutions or HSM-backed key services.
Access control & identity
- Single sign-on (SSO) and SAML/OIDC: Syncplicity integrates with enterprise identity providers (IdPs) so authentication follows corporate identity lifecycle and SSO policies.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Adds a second factor to reduce account compromise risk.
- Role-based access control (RBAC): Admins assign roles and permissions at granular levels (team, folder, enterprise) to enforce least privilege.
Device & endpoint security
- Device registration and management: Devices must be registered and can be audited.
- Remote wipe and selective wipe: Administrators can remove corporate data from lost or compromised devices while leaving personal data intact.
- Policy-driven syncing: Admins can block automatic sync for untrusted endpoints or force encryption on device storage.
Data governance & DLP
- Content classification and DLP integration: Syncplicity supports content scanning and can integrate with DLP solutions to prevent sharing or syncing of sensitive data (PII, PHI, payment data) based on policies.
- Policy-based sharing controls: Restrict external sharing, set expiration, disable downloads, or require watermarks for sensitive files.
- Retention and legal hold: Configure retention policies and legal holds to meet compliance and eDiscovery needs.
Audit, monitoring & visibility
- Comprehensive audit trails: Every file action (access, share, edit, delete) is logged with user, time, and device metadata.
- Alerts and anomaly detection: Admins can set thresholds and receive alerts for suspicious activities, such as mass downloads or unusual geolocation access.
- Reporting and analytics: Built-in reports or integrations with SIEMs provide visibility into usage patterns and risk.
Availability & resilience
- Versioning and file restoration: Keep historical versions to recover from accidental deletion or malicious changes (including ransomware).
- Redundancy and backups: Syncplicity’s storage architecture offers redundancy; enterprises can also back up to on-prem or hybrid storage for extra resilience.
How Syncplicity reduces specific security risks
- Insider threats: RBAC, audit trails, DLP, and selective wipe minimize damage from malicious or negligent insiders.
- External breaches: MFA, SSO, and encryption reduce the impact of compromised credentials.
- Ransomware: Versioning, immutable retention policies, and rapid recovery options help restore files without paying ransoms.
- Data leakage via sharing: Granular sharing controls, access expiration, and download restrictions prevent uncontrolled external exposure.
Deployment options & architecture considerations
- Cloud-only: Quick to deploy, managed infrastructure, suitable for organizations comfortable with cloud hosting.
- Hybrid: Store files on-premises (for compliance or latency) while using Syncplicity’s control plane for policy, indexing, and metadata.
- On-premises: Full data control by deploying Syncplicity File Server and management components inside the corporate network.
Choosing between these depends on regulatory constraints, performance needs, and existing infrastructure investments.
Best practices for secure Syncplicity adoption
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Identity-first access
- Integrate with the corporate IdP using SAML/OIDC and enforce MFA.
- Automate provisioning and deprovisioning through SCIM or identity lifecycle integrations.
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Apply least privilege
- Use RBAC and group-based controls. Start restrictive, then open access as needed.
- Harden admin accounts and limit the number of global admins.
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Enforce device hygiene
- Require device registration and posture checks (OS version, encryption status).
- Use remote/selective wipe for BYOD and corporate devices.
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Data classification and DLP
- Classify sensitive data and create DLP rules to block risky syncs/shares.
- Integrate content inspection with existing DLP or CASB solutions.
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Governance & retention
- Implement retention, legal hold, and immutable storage where regulation requires.
- Regularly review sharing policies and external link expirations.
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Monitor, alert, and integrate
- Forward logs to SIEM and set meaningful alerts for anomalies.
- Use reports to track high-risk users, large transfers, and external sharing trends.
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Backup & recovery planning
- Enable versioning and test restore procedures regularly.
- Consider hybrid or on-prem backups for critical datasets.
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User education
- Train employees on secure sharing practices, phishing risks, and what to do if a device is lost.
- Provide clear policies and quick reference guidance embedded in the user experience when possible.
Example security policy template (concise)
- All users must authenticate via SSO and MFA.
- External sharing is disabled by default; exceptions require a documented business justification and approval.
- Sensitive files (classified as Confidential or higher) cannot be shared externally and must be stored in designated encrypted folders.
- Devices must be registered and encrypted; lost devices will receive a selective wipe within 2 hours of report.
- Audit logs are retained for 7 years; critical logs are forwarded to the corporate SIEM in real time.
Integrations that strengthen security posture
- Identity: Okta, Azure AD, Ping Identity (SSO, SCIM).
- DLP/CASB: Symantec DLP, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, Netskope.
- SIEM: Splunk, IBM QRadar, Elastic Stack.
- Key management: Customer-managed keys via KMS/HSM providers.
Measuring success — KPIs and metrics
- Percentage of users with MFA enforced.
- Number of external shares created per month and their risk classification.
- Time to recover from data loss (RTO) and Restore Point Objective (RPO) for critical data.
- Number of incidents detected via Syncplicity logs forwarded to SIEM.
- Percentage of devices compliant with encryption and posture requirements.
Limitations and things to watch
- Configuration complexity: Rich policy sets can be misconfigured; follow change control and least-privilege principles.
- Integration testing: Validate SSO, SCIM, DLP, and SIEM integrations in staging before production rollout.
- User friction vs. security: Balance controls to avoid risky user workarounds (e.g., using personal email). Monitor and adjust policies based on behavior.
Conclusion
Syncplicity provides a layered suite of technical controls—encryption, access management, device controls, DLP integrations, auditing, and backup/versioning—that, when combined with sound policies and operational practices, can significantly reduce data exposure risk for enterprises. The strongest protection comes from integrating Syncplicity into the organization’s identity, monitoring, and governance frameworks, enforcing least-privilege access, and maintaining good device hygiene and user training.
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