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Protecting your files with real time membership conditions

Alex Kopel

July 25, 2024

3 minute read

Illustration of various computer files with a lock overtop of them representing security

With more and more data breaches being reported by the day (plenty of which are not even being reported), it’s no surprise that IT is incredibly vigilant when it comes to sensitive data leakage.

So what happens when a file is exposed and you need to take action? But not in a cookie cutter manner?

With real-time membership conditions, you can do just that! In BetterCloud, you can customize workflows to adapt to specific processes for different departments and other specific logic.

Let’s walk through how to create a workflow in BetterCloud that dictates what happens when a file is shared publicly based on groups the user belongs to.

How it works

BetterCloud checks against the security policy for who the file owner is and will take action depending on the group they are a member of.

BetterCloud checks if the file owner is a member of a group of your choosing (typically based off of existing security policies). Depending on the group, a different action can be taken. For example, a member of the security team should take immediate action whereas a member of the sales team can check for approval beforehand.

Just like other IF conditions, real time membership conditions are added to your workflows using specific conditions such as “User’s Group Membership” or “User’s Org Unit Membership”.

BetterCloud workflow IF options for Group Membership

Wait for Approval

Because not every file can be treated the same, BetterCloud allows you to include a hold on workflows, called “Wait for Approval”.

A typical scenario that we see is when a marketing team shares materials externally, but needs to wait for approval from a manager. The following example shows the option to email a decision maker and ask for their approval or restrict the file in a BetterCloud workflow.

A BetterCloud workflow with wait for approval conditions

Depending on the action taken by the decision maker in the email, the workflow will run according to the THEN conditions set in the workflow.

Wait For Response

Another option to customize your response to a publicly shared file is to use the “Wait For Response” action.

This action will send an email to the designated contact with a multitude of options that can be fully customized. 

In the following example, the designated sales lead receives multiple prompts to either approve the file, unshare the file, or even notify security.

A BetterCloud workflow with wait for response conditions

Workflow Summary

A workflow summary for when a file is shared publicly

Keeping track of legal holds can be a challenge for IT. BetterCloud’s real-time membership conditions offer a solution.

The following example shows how BetterCloud checks if a user is part of a “Legal Hold” Google group and allows 90 days before transferring files to the user’s manager.

A BetterCloud workflow for a legal hold

Real-time membership conditions are a game-changer for IT management. By leveraging BetterCloud’s capabilities, organizations can enhance their security posture, streamline operations, and ensure compliance. 

Start exploring the power of real-time membership conditions with BetterCloud today, and take your IT management to the next level!

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