Information sent through email is vulnerable to interception and unauthorized access. Encrypting your sensitive emails, such as messages containing protected health information (PHI), can help you avoid these risks. Encryption works to secure emails so that your message is protected along its journey from sender to recipient. Using it protects both you and your email recipients.
How Encryption Works
When you send an email, it first goes to your server, then the receiver’s server, and then finally the receiver’s inbox. A copy of the email is stored on each server that it passes through, making it vulnerable to hacking. Many email service providers do not have any security measures. This puts your emails at risk whenever you send or receive messages. End-to-end encryption uses a complex algorithm to erase sensitive data by making it unreadable throughout its entire journey. This form of encryption is the safest and most effective option because it cannot be reversed unless you have the decryption key. We revolve our decryption keys constantly to make sure that data such as PHI, passwords, and file attachments are consistently secured.
Using Encryption for Your Emails
Failing to protect sensitive data can have significant consequences, such as opening yourself or your patients up to identity theft. Encrypted emails help reduce this risk. Here’s how to use encryption for your emails to protect your information as much as possible:
Know When To Use End-to-End Encryption
Enterprise Guardian (EnGuard) utilizes both transport layer security (TLS) and end-to-end encryption. TLS protects information while in transit from one email server to another. When both servers are using TLS, the information is safe throughout the sending and receiving process.
If you are emailing someone who is not utilizing TLS, your messages could be at risk because their email service provider is not providing the same level of protection as our servers. In these cases, EnGuard offers end-to-end message encryption to deliver your email through our Secure Messaging System. To use this feature, you simply type “secure” into your subject box. The recipient will also have access to this system to send secure attachments and messages back to you. EnGuard supports sending encrypted messages or messages in clear text, allowing you to decide what is best on a message-to-message basis.
Quarantine Sensitive Messages
EnGuard can scan every email you send for sensitive information, such as social security numbers or credit card information. If you accidentally include this information without opting to use encryption, our system can quarantine it and send you a warning. You can then send the message as written or encrypt the email for more security. Enabling this additional feature can help prevent you from accidentally sending sensitive information in clear text.
Send Secure Emails Using Enterprise Guardian
Partnering with an email service provider like Enterprise Guardian will allow you to secureĀ and protect your emails. Our service helps you safeguard sensitive information such as personal identifiable information (PII), credit card information, and more. We operate out of two data centers and run on a 40GIG network for extra security. Explore our HIPAA-compliant email solutions today to learn more about our products.