Zansa › Answers › Privacy, security and ownership
Is it safe to share spreadsheets with personal data by email?
It is risky. Emailed spreadsheets are copied, forwarded and stored in many inboxes, with no easy way to control or withdraw access. If they contain personal data, a misdirected email can itself be a data breach. Prefer secure shared locations with access control, and remove unneeded personal columns.
Safer habits:
- Share links in a controlled system, with named users and expiry
- Remove or mask identifiers before sharing
- Password-protect and encrypt files where email is unavoidable, sending the password separately
- Keep one master copy rather than many versions
Spreadsheets are also hard to audit, which is a reason to move reporting into governed systems. Rules differ by country and sector, so check how this applies to you with a qualified adviser.
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