Easy Steps and Solutions for Encrypting
Your Business Email

Most modern businesses still heavily rely on email to facilitate effective communication between clients, suppliers, and employees. 

However, considering the amount of data that is exchanged through email every day, this preferred form of communication can present a number of risks when it comes to data privacy and security.

The good news is that there are some simple strategies that businesses can apply to better secure their email communications and reduce their cybersecurity risks.

The Benefits of Email Encryption for Small Businesses

When using the term “data encryption,” many smaller businesses may think this is only relevant for larger enterprises. However, encryption is actually a fundamental and easy-to-implement security protocol that can provide several key benefits:

Data Protection

When you encrypt your email communications, you’re essentially converting the digital transmission into an unreadable format. In the event your messages are ever intercepted by unauthorized individuals, any confidential information contained in the correspondence won’t be useable.

Regulatory Compliance

In many industries, being able to prove compliance with strict regulatory standards is critical. Email encryption has become a critical element of hardening an organization’s security efforts and is often required to show compliance, especially in organizations in the healthcare and governmental sectors.

Improved Client Trust

When your clients and partners contact you or share sensitive information, it’s essential to take their privacy seriously. Implementing encryption protocols in your business proves to your clients that you prioritize cybersecurity initiatives in the organization, which helps to build trust and credibility in your products and services.

Popular Email Encryption Tools Available

There are a variety of tools available that make it easy to start encrypting your emails. Below are some popular free and paid options you can explore:

Free Options

  • Gmail Confidential Mode – Gmail has a built-in encryption feature called “Confidential Mode” on its email application. This allows you to establish email expiration dates or revoke access after an email has been set. Further, recipients cannot forward, copy, print or download the email content or attachments. Although this feature doesn’t provide end-to-end encryption, it can add another important layer of security to email communications.
  • Mailvelope – Mailvelope is a popular web browser extension that can be used for email clients like Gmail and Outlook. The extension enables OpenPGP encryption on all emails accessed through the browser and provides standardized encryption methods for all email communications.

Paid Options

  • Virtu – Virtru is a user-friendly tool that supports end-to-end encryption across popular email clients. The service will also allow you to control exactly who has access to the emails as well as the ability to disable email forwarding abilities. 
  • PreVeil – PreVail is a more comprehensive platform that allows businesses of all sizes to encrypt their emails and file sharing. It strongly focuses on compliance with various regulations, such as CMMC, NIST 800-171, ITAR, and others.
  • Egress Protect – Egress Protect, is an email encryption software designed to secure sensitive information shared through emails and file attachments. It’s part of a broader suite of email security solutions offered by Egress and integrates well with Microsoft 365.

Easy-to-Follow Email Encryption Setup Instructions

Most popular email clients will have standardized encryption methods that can be set up directly through the provider. Below are some easy-to-follow instructions for enabling email encryption on common email providers:

Microsoft Outlook

  1. Navigate to File -> Options -> Trust Center -> Trust Center Settings.
  2. Click on “Email Security” followed by “Settings.”
  3. Choose the option “Encrypt contents and attachments for outgoing messages.”
  4. Select the preferred encryption format you prefer – S/MIME or OpenPGP.
  5. Walk through the steps to configure your digital certificate to complete the setup.


Gmail

  1. Use Gmail’s “Confidential Mode,” by clicking the lock symbol at the bottom of your email message. Otherwise, you can follow the instructions below to establish hosted S/MIME encryption.
  2. Sign into your Google Admin Console.
  3. Navigate to Menu -> Apps -> Google Workspace -> Gmail -> User settings.
  4. Click “Organizations” on the left and select your business domain.
  5. Check the “Enable S/MIME encryption for sending and receiving emails” box.
  6. Follow the instructions to establish your root certificate and choose your encryption level.

Apple Mail

  1. Open the Settings application.
  2. Navigate to Mail -> Accounts.
  3. Find and choose the account you want to encrypt.
  4. Select Account -> Advanced -> Encrypt by Default.
  5. Turn on Encrypt by Default.

Keep Your Business Emails Protected

Choosing to encrypt all of your business emails is a simple yet effective way to lower the risk of your business data ending up in the wrong hands. 

At LDD Consulting, we’re dedicated to helping small, growing businesses better understand the cybersecurity risks they face while offering them practical and effective solutions for ensuring the integrity of their systems. If you’re ready to bolster your overall cybersecurity, contact us today to book a free consultation and explore how we can help safeguard your business.