Cybercrime is on the rise globally with phishing, hacking, and ransomware increasing every day. In fact, reports by IBM, Verizon, and others estimate that 3.4 billion emails a day – over 1 trillion a year – are sent by cyber criminals, designed to look as if they come from trusted senders. For regulated industries handling extra-sensitive data – from bank statements to doctors’ notes – traditional channels like email are no longer safe enough. Therefore, an alternative, secure communication method replacing physical post is crucial; one that would also comply with current data protection standards.
This is where solutions like e-Boks’ Digital Postbox Platform come in. In utilizing edge-to-edge encryption, eID verification, an external API enabling secure data insertion, TLS/SSL protocols, and more, they allow for safer, quicker communication and eliminate potential vulnerabilities.
I spoke with e-Boks’ Product Director, Helena Cimber, to discuss current cybersecurity threats and the advantages that secure postbox solutions like the Digital Postbox Platform have to offer.
Growing Global Awareness
e-Boks’ Digital Postbox solution has been Denmark’s standardized method for delivering sensitive documents for more than two decades now. The rest of the world has been slightly slower to catch up, but with cybercrime awareness increasing, they recently decided to go international.
“e-Boks decided to expand their operations outside the Nordics around four years ago, since similar challenges were noticed abroad,” Cimber shares.
While SMS might work for short notifications from a bank or a healthcare provider, sensitive messages require a different channel.
“Email isn’t inherently safe or compliant, and using it to deliver sensitive or private information makes all parties involved vulnerable to attacks,” she notes.
Solutions such as the Digital Postbox Platform offer organizations peace of mind, as they can be certain only the intended recipient is able to access messages and attachments.
The Role of CCM Service Providers
Digital Post is seamlessly plugged into the portfolio of Service Providers in the Customer Communication Management (CCM) market. CCM Service Providers can then deliver it to their customers, who use it to communicate with their customers.
As regulated organizations like banks, healthcare providers, or government institutions don’t have sufficient time or expertise to create a compliant communication strategy, they often partner with CCM Service Providers (such as Xerox Corporation, Smart Communications, or Opentext Corporation) to do it for them. CCM SPs also deliver the tools to support these strategies, one of which is Digital Post.
“Due to its robust encryption, Digital Post serves organizations for the communication tier requiring the highest level of security,” Cimber notes.
“Things like contracts, bank statements, or discrete medical content.”
A Win-Win for Senders and Recipients
Sending organizations can easily connect their existing output systems securely for a seamless system-to-system integration or use the Digital Post’s Admin portal to compose messages using the built-in editor. On the receiving end, customers access the letter through the e-Boks Digital Postbox Platform. Here are some of the key benefits for senders and recipients:
Secure: Digital Post has a reassuring record of zero data leaks throughout its years of existence. e-Boks’ meticulous use of various protocols, encryptions, and authentication and authorization mechanisms makes it an extra-safe channel to use.
Compliant: With GDPR requirements in the EU and constantly evolving legislation in other parts of the globe, the use and management of data are monitored closely. Being GDPR compliant, Digital Post ensures customer protection and helps organizations avoid unwanted fines.
Sustainable and Efficient: Many organizations used to send sensitive documents through physical post, and some still do. Digital Post offers a reliable alternative, minus the paper and delivery-induced pollution, and with instantaneous delivery.
Easy to Access: By simply downloading and verifying one’s identity in the Digital Postbox interface, recipients get to access the full history of their critical letters on their phone, anywhere, anytime. Losing salary slips or important letters from the bank? Not anymore.
Clear and Consistent: Digital Post aggregates communication with both public and private organizations and government institutions, facilitating a ‘one source of truth’ approach. This proved particularly efficient during COVID-19 in Denmark, where residents were clearly and timely communicated as to how they should conduct themselves.
“Our vision is to allow easy and safe communication while complying with security regulations,” Cimber says. “To that end, we constantly work on developing and adding more features, enhancing that experience even further.”
Interested in learning more about the Digital Postbox Platform by e-Boks? Visit their website here.