You heard the one about the document management system being air-tight on security, right?

Yeah, as long as no one prints, emails, shares, downloads or breathes near a file.

All jokes aside, that ties right into Enterprise Solutions Specialist Jeff Flory’s point on Document Security all together. Content/Document Management: It’s not a set it and forget it type of thing.

Sure, he’s seen the old industry cliché: A back room full of filing cabinets with decades of documents tucked inside. Access is difficult and security? Well Suzie has the keys to the cabinets, and she’s been here forever. :: Shrug :: 

Truthfully, most businesses today see the security benefit of a Document Management system. What they don’t see is the ongoing need to review, scrutinize, and fine the applications of that system.

“Most people think about their documents and think, it’s in a document management system so they’re OK,” Jeff said. “They don’t always understand things like, are access rights set up correctly? Is the capability to email, print, delete documents set up correctly? Etc., etc.”

Which is where Datamax comes in. Though his newly announced role change will take Jeff himself away from Document Management engagement, the power of the Datamax solution, Laserfiche, is unmistakable.

Let’s review 6 of the most common misconceptions about document security, and how Laserfiche helps close that gap.

1. “Our files are safe because they’re on our shared drive.”

Many people assume storing documents on a shared network drive (like a Windows file server or cloud sync tool) is secure enough. But shared drives:

• Often lack granular access control, meaning anyone in the organization can stumble across confidential documents.
• Don’t provide audit trails to track who accessed what, when.
• Can be vulnerable to accidental deletion or improper overwrites—and may not offer reliable version control.

Laserfiche takes this a step further by offering centralized control, fine-tuned permissions, and full visibility into document activity.

2. “Only IT needs to worry about security.”

This is a big one. People often assume that cybersecurity is only the responsibility of their IT department. But in reality:

• Every user is a potential risk—think accidental sharing, weak passwords, or falling for phishing.
• Non-technical departments like HR, Finance, or Legal are often handling the most sensitive data.

Laserfiche helps close that gap by giving all departments tools to secure, track, and manage their own documents—without waiting on IT for every little thing.

3. “Paper is more secure because it’s not online.”

Some still think paper files locked in a cabinet are safer. But:

• Paper is vulnerable to theft, loss, and disaster (fire, flood, etc.).
• Access is impossible to track—you never really know who’s seen or copied a document.
• Retrieval and sharing are slow and risky (think about how often paper gets scanned, copied, or emailed).

Laserfiche eliminates those risks by securing documents digitally and making them easier to control and trace.

4. “Redacting with a black marker is good enough.”

It’s not uncommon for organizations to physically redact paper or manually edit PDFs. But this can be reversed if done incorrectly (especially with digital files). With Laserfiche:

• Redactions are permanent and permission-based.
• Users can be granted access to redacted or unredacted versions, depending on their role.

The redacted content is completely scrubbed from the file, not just visually hidden.

5. “We’ve never had a breach, so we’re fine.”

A lack of incidents doesn’t mean strong security—it may just mean you’ve been lucky so far. Document security is about reducing risk proactively, not reacting after a crisis:

• What happens if someone leaves the company with access still active?
• What if an employee emails a sensitive file to the wrong person?
• How would you respond if a regulator asked to see your access logs?

Laserfiche helps organizations build security into their processes, not patch it in after something goes wrong.

6. “Cloud-based systems are inherently risky.”

This myth is slowly fading, but it’s still out there. In truth:

• Modern cloud platforms like Laserfiche Cloud are often more secure than on-premise setups, especially for SMBs.
• They provide built-in redundancy, enterprise-grade encryption, and constant updates that in-house systems may lack.

That said, Laserfiche offers both cloud and self-hosted options, so organizations can choose what aligns best with their security comfort level.