How to Encrypt Email Messages in Outlook Mail?

In the modern times,email communication is a requirement for protecting personal and business information. Microsoft Outlook provides tools to make sure data remains safe. Therefore,companies invest a huge amount to protect it. The devices and application available today also emphasis on data protection and embed the gadget with the most advanced technology so that data remain safe and secure. Outlook,the mailing application of Microsoft has also induced the encryption features in it.

What is Email Encryption and Why Does It Matter?

In general,encrypting of email means converting emails in plaintext to a ciphertext,using the recipient’s Public Key. To decrypt and read the message,the recipient uses their matching Private Key. When an unauthorized user stops the email without the private key.

• S/MIME Encryption:S/MIME encryption stands for secure or multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. This encryption protects mails from unauthorized access. To use this encryption method,the receiver and sender both have a mail application that supports S/MIME standard.
• Office 365 Message Encryption:Outlook users can use this option to encrypt messages by using the rights management templates,encrypt-only and Do Not Forward option. All the users of office 365 use Outlook clients for sending/receiving the mails receive a smooth working experience for encrypted or rights-protected mails. This smooth reading experience is for those users as well who are from two different organizations.

It will take the reader to the OME portal where they can authenticate using their account credentials.

Best Practices for S/MIME Communication

• Exchange Keys:To allow contacts to send you encrypted mail,you must first send them a digitally signed email. This shares your public key with them.
• Updating Contacts:Always verify that users have added recipient's digital certificate to the Outlook Contacts to ensure encryption.

Method to Encrypt Mail in Outlook

The new update has improved encryption in the Outlook. For the subscriber of Office 365,an Encrypt button has been added,replacing the older Permission button. Let's have a look at S/MIME and Office 365 Message Encryption methods.

Methods to Encrypt Email Messages

Method For S/MIME Encryption

• Before starting the encryption,add a certificate to the keychain on your computer. After setting up the signing certificate,configure the same in Outlook.
• Go to the File menu and then go to Options. Then the Trust Center and Trust Center Settings.

• A Trust Center dialog box will open. After that,from the left pane,select Email Security.
• In the next step,choose option Settings under the Encrypted email section.

• The step will open the Email Security dialog box. Then click on the button Get Digital ID to get a new certificate from a third-party in-case IT admin has not purchased or installed it on your PC. Consulting the IT admin would help you in selecting the right certificate.

• If you have a certificate,then simply select the Import/Export tab present in the Digital IDs (certificates).

• A new dialog box will open at this step.
• A popup will appear after that for selecting the security level.

The next step will be to share the certificate with recipients. Yet before sharing the certificate,send the digitally signed message to recipients (whom you will be sending encrypted email messages in the future). The step by step guide to do so is here.

• Click on the New Email tap to compose a new email

• Click on the Option tab in the new messages and in the same click on More Options.

• In the properties option,click on the option Security Settings.

In the Security,Properties dialog box,check the box Add digital signature to this message.

• Once the users are done with the process,send the message to the email recipient(s).

Method to Send an Encrypted S/MIME Email?

A user at this stage can proceed to send an encrypted email to a recipient. A user needs their certificate (Public key) to carry out this operation. So,in-case your contacts have acquired their own encryption certificate already and have shared with you a digitally signed one from their Outlook application,then follow these steps:

• From your contact open the digitally signed email (you must have received a digitally signed email from contact which the person would have sent using their email encryption certificate).
• On the sender's name,right-click. After that click on the Add to Outlook Contacts button. If that is present in the contact list,then Edit/Update the contact instead of adding it again.

• At this step,a contact card will open. In the top ribbon,click on the Certificates button. You will have the view of associated certificates with the contact.

At this stage,you are done. Now you can send an encrypted message to this contact. For sending an encrypted mail to follow these steps.

• Draft a new mail and click on the tab Options.
• Then click on More Options from the ribbon.
• The properties window will open,click on the Security Settings after that.
• In the dialog box of security properties,check the Encrypt message contents and attachments. And then click OK button to proceed

• Now compose your email and write in private or add attachments. Your contact/recipient has Private keys to decrypt this message.

Microsoft Purview Message Encryption

This encryption option allows users to send an encrypted email to any Outlook client or a third-party email client. This method of encryption works with Office 365 subscription (Exchange online). This is more secure and has only one downside. In this method,the receiver has to take a couple of extra steps every time they receive an encrypted email message.

The step by step guide for this encryption is:

• Click on the option new email message and there click on tab Options,and then select Encrypt. From the drop-down select restrictions,you want to apply.

The difference in OME encryption is that,when you send an encrypted email message,the recipient receives an email without the actual content. The email will have the only the link of email. The receiver selects another authentication option,they will go to another webpage. For login,your recipient will receive a one-time password on their registered email account. The receiver must enter the same in the text box on the webpage to access the content.