File upload security is a major concern for enterprises of all shapes and sizes. Web applications with direct file upload capabilities are only getting easier to build and deploy, and scalable cloud object storage solutions (like AWS S3 and Azure Blob) have grown to become much more affordable than they were at the outset of mainstream cloud computing. As a result, more and more enterprises face an influx of client-side file uploads – and all the content moderation challenges that come along with it.

Content moderation is a critical and broadly focused concept in file upload security. It refers to the process of inspecting, filtering, and managing user-uploaded files to ensure they meet safety, policy, and compliance standards before entering an enterprise environment. This covers everything from unrestricted file upload vulnerabilities (web shells, malware, etc.) to NSFW text and images, all of which can adversely affect the health and reputation of an enterprise.

In this article, we’ll discuss what constitutes a content moderation concern for most enterprises, and we’ll gain a better understanding of what happens when file uploads aren’t rigorously moderated. Toward the end, we’ll explain how Cloudmersive provides enterprise content moderation at the network edge in a single, easy-to-manage solution with flexible deployment options.

What constitutes a content moderation policy violation in an enterprise?

We can break content moderation violations down into four distinct categories to better understand the scope of their impact.

Malicious File Uploads

Malicious files uploads are those specifically designed by threat actors to harm a system, hijack a system, or steal (exfiltrate) data from a system. This category includes files bearing viruses, malware, and trojans, and myriad other forms of insecure content. Specially crafted files with malformed headers, insecure internal references, obfuscated scripts, disguised extensions, etc. can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in enterprise applications or serve as the first part of multi-stage attacks on a system.

NSFW or Inappropriate Content Uploads

Not safe for work (NSFW) content uploads can be loosely defined as racy or explicit images and media. Pornography – particularly CSAM and other extremely disturbing content – can end up on enterprise servers both intentionally and unintentionally if content moderation policies aren’t rigorously enforced. This category of content can harm the reputation of a business and, in certain cases, result in swift, decisive legal action from internal and external stakeholders.

Suspicious URL Uploads

Uniform resource locators (URLs) can point to phishing domains, malware-hosting websites, malicious files, and more. URLs are frequently stored within complex file containers like PDF, DOCX, XLSX, and others. Determining whether a URL redirects to a malicious domain is a critical part of file upload content moderation.

Non-Compliant Data Uploads

In certain industries, the wrong file upload type can constitute a violation of regulatory policies. In financial services, for example, employees might be required to store client data in encrypted & password protected PDF documents. Inadvertently saving that information in unencrypted, openly visible PDF documents might constitute content moderation violations with severe consequences for the business.

What happens when we don’t moderate file uploads?

Improper file upload moderation can have devastating consequences for any enterprise.

Malicious file uploads and insecure URLs can become a primary ingress for ransomware and spyware. NSFW content can, as mentioned earlier, result in reputation loss or serious lawsuits – and it can also lead to user loss as folks veer away from the enterprise platform. File upload compliance violations can result in anything from severe financial penalties to legal action and brand damage.

Content Moderation with Cloudmersive

Cloudmersive’s Advanced Virus Scan API and NSFW API are used together in Cloudmersive’s comprehensive content moderation solution for enterprises.

Cloudmersive’s content moderation solution can be deployed for file uploading scanning in a forward proxy, reverse proxy, or ICAP server configuration, and it can also be deployed adjacent to AWS, Azure, and GCP object storage containers as an in-storage scanning solution.
Content scanned by Cloudmersive content moderation proxies is analyzed recursively for embedded threats including viruses, malware, and invalid/insecure content, as well as racy or explicit images and videos. NSFW content is analyzed and scored via deep learning AI.

The Advanced Virus Scan API allows for custom threat-rule configuration, and it includes a whitelist option to assume a default-deny option against files which fail to match a specified type.

Final Thoughts

The increasing ease of file uploads makes robust content moderation an absolute necessity for enterprises. Neglecting content moderation exposes enterprises to sever risks. Proactive, comprehensive content moderation isn’t just good practice – it’s a critical defense mechanism for securing operation and maintaining trust in today’s digital landscape.

To learn more about content moderation with Cloudmersive, please reach out to a member of our team.