FileFlex Enterprise
Setting the Benchmark in Zero Trust Data Access

The concept of a Zero Trust (ZT) cybersecurity architecture is pretty straight forward—never trust, always verify. In reality, this means that before any resource can be accessed, each user must be confirmed. Furthermore, every request must be validated, authorized, and encrypted in real-time from inside or beyond perimeter protection. This approach safeguards a company in ways that other models cannot. It protects the network against malware, provides greater security for distant workers without compromising productivity, improves proactive remediation and response by simplifying security operations center management with greater automation and extending visibility into possible threats. As a result, ZT cybersecurity redefines perimeter security with a more secure model based on user identity and least-privilege access, rather than geography.

With cloud computing, remote workers and digital transformation, this is a far more relevant security paradigm. As more companies learn about the benefits of ZT, adoption is rapidly increasing to the point that it is quickly becoming the new standard in cybersecurity talks and expectations. So much so, that the market is estimated to reach $38 billion by 2025 with deployments expanding at a compound annual rate of 17 percent. Even the present pandemic, alongside the pressing need to scale and protect remote worker access, have contributed to this increased awareness. Because of the pandemic, over 40 percent of organizations that have adopted Zero Trust have expedited their activities.

However, most companies apply ZT to network and application access. This is undoubtedly a great start as user-to-network connections are secured with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solutions and Zero Trust Application Access (ZTAA) looks at all users as “untrustworthy,” granting access to applications only after verification and authorization. The main reasons for this are mitigating third-party risk, controlling cloud risk and reducing the danger of remote work and insider threats. Once an adversary has gained access to a network via a spear-phishing attack or a VPN exploit, they can install ransomware on the servers or exfiltrate confidential and personal data from the company and its customers.

However, to defend a hybrid-IT architecture as a whole, Zero Trust Data Access is required as it protects an organization’s most important asset - its data, which is precisely what FileFlex™ Enterprise (“FileFlex™”) does.

FileFlex™, by Qnext Corp. (“Qnext”) is the world’s #1 Zero Trust Data Access (ZTDA) platform for today’s global and diversified remote workforce. They have created a new enterprise-scale technology service that unifies data storage access, security and governance of data storage across multiple environments using a Zero Trust architecture designed to support today’s Hybrid-IT enterprise infrastructure with a real time audit trail down to the file level.

We take a deep dive into problems we all face in our changing world, swim around in the issue, re-think the experience of our users and then start again from scratch, because no convention is sacred here and the status is far from quo

The Game Changer

The Game Changer “FileFlex™ secures access to our customers’ unstructured data in its source locations, reducing our customers’ vulnerability to malware, and thereby improving their security profile,” said says Anthony DeCristofaro, president and CEO of Qnext, the developer FileFlex™. “It augments traditional perimeter-based security by always authenticating and always verifying all transactions all the time with a “never trust, always verify” model where access to data is secured and controlled through a zero-trust platform. FileFlex™ implements micro-segmented access to files and folders and keeps the enterprise network “dark” to the user, protecting against unauthorized access to the organization’s infrastructure.”

FileFlex™ gives enterprises seamless control over shared files including the ability to revoke access at any moment on an individual contact, user, or file-by-file basis. Data in-transit encryption along with temporary encrypted tunnels mitigate the risk of a man-in-the-middle attack. FileFlex™ Enterprise exchanges anonymous, secure tokens to protect the user and device credentials. FileFlex™ implements LDAP to integrate with Active Directory and offers U2F, SSO, device authentication, enforced password policies and session timeout policies. FileFlex™ does not allow administrators to access any protected information beyond what their own permission levels allow.

Fostering Granular Control

The FileFlex™ Server Management Console combines ZT security with a set of management tools for IT, giving them complete control over the security of information in the enterprise. Strong IT control over file access is included in the toolkit and monitors and enforces security rules and policies.

It’s used to define and implement encryption policies that can be tailored to each individual situation. It allows users to configure their security levels on a per-user basis. It features activity logging and facilities for exporting or integrating with third-party monitoring and incident management systems and integration with the organization’s existing antivirus solution. The admin panel can also be used to prevent specific files, folders or devices from being shared on an organizational, group or user-by-user basis. This is the ultimate IT control mechanism that allows access to PHI, PII, and sensitive data while ensuring that it remains in its original place and that no copies are shared.

In a nutshell, FileFlex™ was built from the ground up on a Zero Trust architecture, and Zero Trust security is applied to all current and future functionalities.

No VPN is required to gain Zero Trust unified access to data residing in all areas of the hybrid IT architecture, whether on-premises, cloud-hosted, or SharePoint. It’s the ideal tool for companies transitioning from a perimeter-based approach to a zero-trust one in terms of cyber security.

Acing the HPE Technology Partner Program

Given its abilities, Qnext’s FileFlex™ has been tested and approved for secure data access with HPE servers and storage products. Through the HPE Technology Partner Program, FileFlex™ is also approved for HPE ProLiant DL Gen9 family rack mount servers, HPE BL460C blade servers, HPE 3PAR StoreServ solutions and HPE Nimble Storage AF1000 network-attached storage.

“Our technology partnership with HPE provides the advantage of an ideal environment for collaborative innovation, testing, marketing and sales that will allow us to expand our customer base, increase market share and speed revenue growth,” said DeCristofaro. “Our participation in HPE Technology Partner Program to test and approve FileFlex™ with industry-leading HPE products helps customers adopt and deploy new technology, ultimately leading to beneficial business outcomes.” Now Qnext and HPE will provide channel partners with a tried-and-true service for secure data access as members of the HPE Technology Partner Program.

"FileFlex Enterprise an overlay service that unifies the access and governance of data storage across multiple domain environments in a Zero Trust Architecture"

Fueled By an Innovative DNA

Understanding that there is always room for innovation and improvement, Qnext continually implements new capabilities to FileFlex™ that bring Zero Trust Data Access to a whole new level. In their latest iteration, FileFlex™ provides a new Level of remote CAD productivity and accessibility. “Architects, engineers, project managers, and skilled remote workers can now securely view or share large CAD files from their mobile phones, tablets, or laptops when working remotely, on-site, or with clients, without having to first make a local copy or requiring the recipient to have an AutoCAD license,” says DeCristofaro.

It also offers heightened security to confidential PDF Forms. Users can now securely edit fillable PDF forms from source sites behind the firewall— without making copies or needing a download to a local device first— financial, health, and legal institutions now have unprecedented control over the protection of confidential PHI and PII information. Lastly, FileFlex™ delivers reliability through high availability and fault tolerance capability. With its High Availability upgrades and Fault Tolerance features, delivering greater performance and robust critical operation reliability to health, financial, aviation, research, banking and military businesses is now easier than before.

“We take a deep dive into problems we all face in our changing world, swim around in the issue, re-think the experience of our users and then start again from scratch, because no convention is sacred here and it is far from the status quo— and our latest release reflects that. It shows our continued effort to deliver the best end-user experience, excellent data governance, and control and superior ease-of-management,” says DeCristofaro.