Many online applications, such as insurance sites healthcare portals, messaging apps, rely on the secure uploading and downloading of files for business. Unrestricted uploads of files are the most common attack vector for malicious actors that can easily introduce malware and steal private information.
A reliable file-uploading system must confirm that the uploaded files are compliant with the list of permissible file types, and scan them for viruses prior to storage. This ensures that personal information of the clients isn’t exposed, and is in compliance with standards such as HIPAA (for health-related information) and GDPR (for EU citizens).
It is crucial to be able verify the file types, as hackers are able to „mask“ malicious software by changing the names of files to acceptable extensions like.jpg or.gif. This means that your solution may not be able of identifying the file’s actual type and would allow it to go unnoticed. To prevent this, you need a file upload system that verifies the file extension as well.
Another way to protect against a variety of attacks is to apply a strong encryption to all data during flight and at rest. This transforms messages and files into unreadable code that hackers cannot read even should they gain access to.
You can also set up a system for uploading files which rejects files that do not conform to your name conventions. This will help keep your team organised and keep confidential information from being exposed in the names of files.