In this post, we'd like to introduce some options to the issue that our client had with their intellectual property — soft copy of confidential reports that needed to be delivered to their customers. We are going to elaborate on some technologies we explored: virtual data room (VDR) and digital right management (DRM).
Background
Since 2021, there has been a surge in legal transactions, due diligence, and merger and acquisition (M&A) globally as a result of the pandemic. Companies have therefore been looking for solutions to improve the efficiency and increase the security of their confidential file sharing and transactions. The usual online storage, hard drive, or email will no longer be enough to save or share files securely.
Our client is a leading security company. They offer world-class security and risk solutions for demanding international clients. With operational lines in protective services, transportation, training, and risk consulting, company’s range of services is designed to overcome any challenge.
Client used a standard email marketing campaign tool to distribute its daily and weekly reports. The problem was that it was quite easy for any recipient to forward and screenshot the content using this method. Client management was seeking for a method to more effectively secure the information presented in these reports as part of their intellectual property.
Various Options Introduced to Solve Client’s Issues
For Client’s documents security issues, there was different options available
Embedded PDF Viewer in a Webpage
Incorporate a PDF directly into a website with just an easy snippet of code or using a pluggin. This allows the company to choose the viewer's options, such as page controls, annotation tools, PDF download and printing, according to the company’s preferences.
While quite simple and low cost solution, this option does not really prevent users to copy the content nor it gives Client a better control on who is doing what on the reports shared.
Digital Right Management
The use of technology to regulate and manage access to copyrighted material is called Digital Right Management. It is used to:
Prevent or limit users from editing or saving, sharing, or forwarding, printing, or taking screenshots or screen captures of their content or products.
Set expiration dates on media, preventing people from accessing it after that period or limiting the number of times they can access it.
Restrict access to media to specific devices, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, or regions, such as limiting content to people in the U.S. only.
Watermark documents and images to claim authorship and identity of content.
Virtual Data Room (VDR)
Electronic data rooms and virtual deal rooms are other names for virtual data rooms. It is an online database where businesses may store and exchange confidential information that is often used for business transactions. It functions similarly to a file cabinet or electronic document archive. Users may safely transmit important business information via the internet with investors, clients, and corporate leadership with the use of VDR. It facilitates the reduction of arduous file management tasks and physical paperwork in offices. Often used during Due Diligence, Merger and Acquisition where many sensitive documents need to be shared to different parties. Generally, actions like copying, printing, and forwarding are disabled in VDRs.
What are The Solutions Implemented
Considering our client use case, Kitameraki consultant advised them to adopt a virtual data room product. The application allows our client to customize the viewer features, with screenshot/screensharing protection, custom watermark, and audit trail that lets the company knows those who view, when they access it and what they access. Although the focus of this kind of solution is on other use cases, it really suits their desire to keep their reports confidential and accessible exclusively to their subscribers well. Client was accompanied by a Kitameraki consultant during the entire selection process, including the negotiation phase.
Result and Feedback
Working with Kitameraki is such a pleasure. They offer us solutions that meet all our requirements and within our budget.
The project succeeded in making the copy of the Risk report very difficult, therefore keeping their Intellectual Property work safe. Replacement of the obsolete marketing mailing tool by a state-of-the-art virtual data room tool was done for a marginal additional cost. Selected tool provide easy way to administrate numerous report subscribers. The Risk team also added DRM to their documents and secured it, so it can only be read online or using special PDF reader installed.
I am Inga, the Head of Risk. Working with Kitameraki is such a pleasure. We had very good collaboration between their team and ours. Along the project, Kitameraki consultants were very responsive and helpful. They offer us solutions that meet all our requirements and within our budget. We would definitely work again with Kitameraki.
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