Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login
Ask HN: How would you securely send Excel files from one company to another?
1 point by woodylondon on Nov 25, 2019 | hide | past | favorite | 6 comments
I am working with a client that needs to send Excel files with a lot of personal data, to many B2B suppliers regularly.

The B2B suppliers have the right to see the data etc. The problem is about transporting the data. GDPR makes this more complex but taking into account how you can deliver a solution that is not over-complicated for the sender or receiver of the data.

We need to consider that the delivery method itself is secure, that the person who gets the file is who they say they are and the Excel file itself is secured. Once the Excel file has been used, to confirm its removal in some way.

You could add a password to the Excel and then email the password and file to person. However, that's not very secure as a password is in email so you could accidentally email the wrong person. Also, very easy to hack excel security etc.

Maybe send the password via SMS – as 2FA approach. However, means keeping a database of people receiving the file who could be an individual in a large company who moves around, phone numbers change. Very hard to keep track of many people in many companies all with secure delivery.

You could encrypt the Excel file with PGP, assumes the person at the other end has PHP to decrypt etc. Same problems as above with how to get the password – SMS, Email, POST?

Any other options?

Any SaaS solutions out there that do this?

Many thanks




Thanks for the replies. I need someone that works via an API - as will be coming from a platform sending to many B2B suppliers. problem with things like Gdrive, firefox is you are uploading the confidential data into their systems. A lot of files going to lots of different people. We are Microsoft / Azure stack - so maybe do somethig from them.

The link below to Cisco might be an option - looking I guess for enterprise style solutions.




By sending a link from gdrive, with permissions enabled by email address



firefox send

https://send.firefox.com/

Encrypt it at your end, password protect it. Send the link to your recipient. They download it and use the pre-agreed password (agreed over the phone with a known entity at the recipient - not over email).




Consider applying for YC's W25 batch! Applications are open till Nov 12.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: