Convenience becomes a risk when employees prioritize speed and the organization can no longer demonstrate who had access to what information, how long it was retained, and with whom it was shared. Once that control is lost, the problem is not the technology, but the behavior surrounding it.
Msafe discussed this tension live on the radio this week. CCO Hennie Jansen, CEO Atze Zwirs, and COO Thijs van der Linden appeared on “Let’s Talk Business” on New Business Radio, speaking with host Ron Lemmens. Below are the key insights from that conversation.
Why Convenience Often Takes Precedence Over Security
Organizations share sensitive information every day, with customers, suppliers, auditors, and other external parties. This needs to happen quickly, because no one likes to wait for a file. The problem arises when that speed is achieved outside of a controlled environment: an email attachment, a standalone download link, or a file in a cloud folder that no one can find anymore.
Hennie Jansen has seen that dynamic change over the years: “It used to be somewhat of an afterthought, and there was a lot of shadow IT in companies. Nowadays, you see much more often that the question comes from the board and management: ‘How are we actually going to deal with this?’” A secure solution that’s too much of a hassle will be bypassed in practice. That’s the core of the risk: not the absence of security, but security that people actively avoid.
Msafe likes to explain it simply. As Hennie put it during the broadcast:
“We make sure you can securely send documents from A to B and also prove that the transfer was secure.”
What the GDPR, NIS2, and DORA Require of Organizations
While users demand convenience, regulations require ever-greater control. The GDPR sets requirements for the handling of personal data, and the NIS2 Directive requires organizations in critical sectors to demonstrate effective risk management, and DORA imposes strict requirements on the financial sector regarding digital resilience. As of August 15, 2026, the Dutch Cybersecurity Act has been added to this, which incorporates the NIS2 Directive into national law.
During the broadcast, Hennie sums up the essence of NIS2 in a single sentence: “NIS2 requires that the communication and data-sharing tools used be secure, and that organizations also manage the risks in their supply chain. That’s basically it in a nutshell.”
For IT managers, CISOs, and compliance officers in regulated sectors such as government, healthcare, and finance, this means that access controls, retention periods, and logging are no longer just “nice-to-haves,” but rather part of demonstrable compliance toward regulators and auditors. According to Atze Zwirs, even legislation currently in the works offers opportunities rather than just burdens.
“New laws and regulations are being introduced, so you have to keep innovating. And whoever does that will come out on top.”
Verifiability as the Key
It’s not enough to say that data is shared securely: an organization must be able to demonstrate who accessed which file, when, and based on what authorization. To do this, customers generate a report themselves from their Msafe environment, which they can immediately submit to a regulator or auditor. Anyone who wants to see how this works in practice can request the request the PoC and test the reporting layer themselves.
Flexibility without compromising security
Not every company has the same needs: a construction firm shares large CAD drawings, a manufacturing company shares technical specifications with suppliers, and a financial institution must, above all, be able to demonstrate that data flows are verifiably secure. Thijs van der Linden emphasizes that the platform was therefore deliberately designed to be flexible.
“Our product can be customized in many ways to meet the needs of specific customers. You can also build your own solution from scratch using our API.”
The Human Dimension
Another point that came up during the conversation: major clients constantly challenge Msafe to further develop the product. Thijs: “With major clients, you’re dealing with serious business partners who have serious problems and serious questions. That collaboration, especially with major clients, is truly what drives this organization.” At the same time, the company remains personally accessible even to the smallest customers, as Atze pointed out: “You can just give us a call, and you’ll actually get someone on the line.”
The Role of AI in Managing Business Data
AI introduces a new layer of complexity. Smart tools can make information and control processes more efficient, but at the same time increase the need to maintain control over business data. Whereas files used to circulate only among people, they are now also processed, summarized, and searched by AI systems. This calls for even stricter guidelines regarding who is allowed to use which data, and for what purpose. Want to learn more about how Msafe handles this? Check out the knowledge base on the Cybersecurity Act.
Listen Again
Would you like to hear the full conversation between Ron Lemmens and the Msafe team about convenience, risk, and verifiability? Listen to the “Let’s Talk Business” episode on New Business Radio.
