All you need to know about Email Encryption

Did you know that the majority of email services, such as Gmail and Outlook, only use basic email encryption techniques, leaving your email vulnerable to data attacks? This tutorial goes over the various data encryption techniques you can use to protect your data. 

 

So let’s dive in and study in detail about Email Encryption in detail

 

What is Email Encryption? 

 

Consider how many emails you receive and send during a typical weekday. Is that ten? Fifty? More than a hundred? That's correct: there seems to be a lot. Indeed, email remains the most widely used mode of business communication. Email is used by users to communicate with external suppliers, vendors, and colleagues, exchanging sensitive information and contracts.

 

The issue is that email is not secure by default. It is also the most common attack vector used by cybercriminals to infiltrate organizations. From phishing attacks to ransomware, email is frequently used to deliver today's most lethal cyber threats.

 

Email encryption is a method of hiding an email so that only the sender and intended recipient can read its contents, preventing unauthorized individuals from intercepting the signal and reading the message. Most email does not have this level of security. Content is sent as plain text and is vulnerable to data security risks. However, you can easily secure your confidential email by implementing proper end-to-end encryption.

 

This encryption method is known as public key infrastructure (PKI). These key pairs can be generated and distributed by a variety of certificate authorities (CAs). They are trusted third-party businesses that provide proper public key certification before entering the public key into a large directory of other public keys. The private key, on the other hand, is always known only to the key's owner.

 

When an email is sent, it is encrypted by a computer using the public key, and the contents are transformed into a complex, indecipherable scramble that is extremely difficult to decipher.

 

There are several kinds of email encryption, but the following are the most common:

 

1. OpenPGP:  It is a PGP encryption standard that uses a decentralized, distributed trust model and works well with modern web email clients.

 

2. S/MIME: It is a type of encryption built into most Apple devices that relies on a centralized authority to select the encryption algorithm and key size.

 

Even though email encryption can be difficult for individual users, businesses that use it usually set it up as an automatic process using an encryption service.

 

This eliminates the need for businesses to rely on their employees to carry out the process of using email encryption, and it removes the decision from the user's hands. Emails are usually configured to pass through a gateway appliance that is set up to comply with the company's security policies when using this type of software. Because of its simplicity, email encryption is a popular choice among businesses.

 

Also Read: What is Data Encryption? Examples and Types

 

How does Email Encryption work?

 

Encryption in cryptography converts the original message in plain text into an unreadable format known as "ciphertext." Without a password, the ciphertext is a complex character string that cannot be decoded.

 

Email encryption can be implemented in a variety of ways, according to ITS Operations Director Peter Swarowski. Let's look at each of these encryption methods individually.

 

1. Opportunistic Transport Layer Security (TLS):

 

The message is encrypted as it travels from the mail server to the final destination using Opportunistic TLS. The mechanism attempts to secure the path of messages on their way to email systems. If the receiving server cannot accept encrypted messages, the message will be converted to plaintext.

 

2. Excellent Privacy (PGP):

 

PGP is a popular encryption standard that allows users to encrypt and decrypt emails and files using a session key that is only known to them. According to Swarovski, security researchers, whistleblowers, and journalists frequently use PGP to send and receive secure communications that they cannot coordinate in advance.

 

3. End-to-end encryption:

 

When sending sensitive data for various business purposes, you must ensure that your emails are secure throughout the entire cycle of transmission from sender to recipient. This is possible with the help of end-to-end email encryption. This type of encryption protects emails and their contents, including attachments, by utilizing public keys. When a message is encrypted, it is ciphered, or simply converted into an unreadable format. Only the intended recipient, who possesses a special key, can decipher and comprehend its contents.

 

4. S/MIME:

 

S/MIME is an acronym that stands for Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. It supports so-called asymmetric encryption, which is implemented using S/MIME certificates. S/MIME enables you to encrypt and digitally sign emails, allowing only designated recipients to decrypt and access their content. S/MIME employs a set of public and private keys that must be identical:
 

• Authentication is performed using the public key. It is included with every message to identify the sender.
• The private key is used for decryption as well as digital signature generation.

 

 

5. Third-Party Plugin:

 

In most cases, the encryption that businesses deal with is handled by a third party. The third-party may develop an Outlook plugin in which a user sends an encrypted message and the recipient is notified that it has been received. A link in the email may direct the recipient to a website hosted by a third-party provider that includes an authentication mechanism.

 

6. OpenPGP:

 

Another popular email encryption standard is OpenPGP. Its history begins in 1991, with the release of Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) software. It was designed to encrypt not only emails but also documents, files, and entire directories. 

 

PGP was the first widely available public-key cryptographic program. The first version was made available via a public FTTP and then distributed via the internet. The creator of PGP, Phil Zimmerman, was even being investigated by the US government (because of the cryptographic software being exported out of the US).

 

PGP is now owned by NortonLifeLock Inc., formerly known as Symantec, and the OpenPGP standard is supported by a wide range of software applications. GNU Privacy Guard (GPG), also known as GnuPG or GPG, is an encryption program.

 

Top Email Encryption Software:

 

Email encryption is a useful tool for organizations to use to secure email communications. Email is not a secure communication system, and the content of emails may be revealed, exposing sensitive information and knowledge. As a result, businesses require the authentication of confidential emails and attachments. Emails for legal or administrative purposes must also be sent.

 

 Encryption. It is also always the case when a corporation has the information it requires from the general public. Email encryption software assists organizations in protecting email, ensuring that only the intended recipient has access to the email, and providing end-users with additional security controls. 

 

Top Email Encryption Software has been discussed below:

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Email Encryption Methods

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1. Trend Micro:

 

XGen powers Trend Micro Email Security, which combats security threats such as malware, spam, and attacks. The primary goal is to protect, detect, and respond. The app includes tools for detecting domestic threats. 

 

The company can exchange threat information with other levels of protection, allowing consumers to access email and communication systems to detect malware or law enforcement violations. You can also investigate how you can use integrated communication software systems to improve the efficiency and collaboration of your business.

 

2. Trustifi:

 

Trustifi is an email encryption platform that increases the security of your email communications. Their innovative platform offers secure end-to-end email encryption for all email platforms, allowing your organization to remain secure from email threats while also remaining fully compliant with data protection regulations. 

 

Email encryption with Trustifi is simple. Senders can send encrypted emails while remaining compliant with a single click, and recipients can access encrypted emails without creating an account or logging into a portal. Trustifi's encryption solution is entirely cloud-based, making it an excellent choice for MSPs looking to provide encryption to their clients.

 

3. Egress: 

 

Email Encryption provides fast data encryption for correspondence. Users can securely send massive files with full control over who has access by exceeding file size limits, revoking more access to any content they submit, preventing infringements, and fixing errors with a single click. Encryption Egress Email features real-time sensitive data sharing, egress smart authentication, and flexible mail network hosting services.

 

4. Cisco: 

 

Cisco provides a secure and trusted email encryption tool with a variety of customizable features and policies. A secure web portal is used for encryption in this case. Administrators can configure policies to encrypt emails automatically, or end users can do so manually. The variety of features available to end users is this service's main strength. They can recall emails, expire email access, and receive receipts when an email is opened.

 

Cisco allows users to restrict end users' ability to forward and respond to emails. These controls are accessible through the user's default email client, making them simple to use. Admins have access to reports that detail when these controls are used. Customers appreciate this service.

 

5. Virtru:

 

Even after reading and transmitting Virtru, customers can cancel, stop, monitor, and disable transmissions to ensure that their data is not lost in the user's hands. Another feature of the product is the company's centralized decision-making. In an automated Administrative Console, users can set, request, and report on DLP policies (also known as Email Transportation Rules).

 

6. Sendinc:

 

Sendinc ensures that emails delivered via its service are encrypted to the highest standards. It doesn't require any custom tools. Any current email address can be used to register. Because Sendinc does not store encryption keys, only recipients can decrypt emails. Users can send up to 10 MB of emails and appendices using the service. Sendinc is used for 256-bit SSL encryption. 

 

Messages will be automatically deleted seven days after free accounts are submitted. However, to access the encrypted file, recipients must first register with Sendinc.

 

Conclusion: 

 

So even though protocols such as TLS do not typically protect email by default, messages can be sent in plaintext if email encryption is not used. This exposes email messages, including their content and attachments, to being intercepted, read, and stolen as they travel from sender to recipient, which is especially important when users send sensitive information via unencrypted email.

 

A hacker can also infect a user's machine with malware, allowing them to intercept future messages and steal sensitive information from corporate networks.

 

As a result, organizations must conduct an email risk assessment and implement enterprise email encryption to secure all outgoing and incoming email communication. Users can use this to encrypt every message they send, or at least all emails containing sensitive information.

 

End-user email encryption has traditionally been difficult due to issues with cryptographic key management. However, users can now understand how to send encrypted emails without having to go through time-consuming training procedures.