Many transcription service companies have online platforms where you can upload audio files and retrieve your transcribed reports. How can you tell if they have website security in place?
1. First, make sure the website you are uploading files to either has an https: address (meaning HyperText Transfer Protocol with Secure Socket Layers – or in layman’s terms, it encrypts the data being sent) or that you are sending files through a secure file-sharing service (Google Drive, Onedrive.com, Box.com, etc.) If you are sending files through a secure file-sharing service, always double check the username of who you are sending files to, and add additional protection if you can (password protected, receiver must verify identity, etc.)
2. Ask the company what website security features they have on their online platform before sending any files. Almost every website these days seems vulnerable, as news of hackers taking down large sites appears almost every day. However, there are a few features that make it harder for hackers to access your confidential information, even in the instance of a breech. Having a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) installed on a site is a necessity. These features further encrypt the data before it is sent, making it so if anyone breeches the site’s security features they won’t be able to listen to or read the files they find.
3. Make sure the company requires a username and a password to log on to their online platform. This includes both for submitting dictations (through the phone or online) and retrieving reports. This not only limits access to the site, it also makes it so the company can track who has accessed the site or called in dictations. Furthermore, this ensures that the dictations get returned to the appropriate person, as the person sending file and receiving files will have to have the two-part login to both send and access files.
4. And finally, make sure there is an automatic logout feature or timeout feature on the site. That way if you forget to properly log out, someone can’t jump on your computer and look at your files. Automatically logging out a user when they close a browser window is also good feature to look for, that way you don’t have to remember to press “log out” every time and your files are still secure.
Ditto Transcripts is a Denver, Colorado-based transcription company that provides fast, accurate and reliable transcription services for individuals and companies of all sizes. Call 720-287-3710 today for a free quote, and ask about our free five-day trial. Or visit our website for more information.
