Sending an encrypted email with your UW email account.
With the steady introduction of Office 365, email encryption has become an option with sending messages.
Clients will need to have Office 365 or an equivalent version installed (Office versions 2016 and 2019 are also encryption-capable but use slightly different menu options. Please refer to the link at the bottom of this article for more information).
Encryption is available on Windows, Mac and browser platforms. Messages are encrypted with the Information Rights Management (IRM) form of security and utilizes the 256-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/encryption
If your mail client uses the IMAP mail protocol, please refer to the article on "WyoEncrypt": https://uwyo.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/1940/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=10389
There are four options for encryption offered.
- Encrypt-Only: The message is encrypted once the message is sent and remains encrypted at the destination. The recipient is provided a link and must authenticate with a work or school account or with a one-time use passcode.
- Do Not Forward: Similar to the Encrypt only option, with the added protection of preventing the message from being forwarded, printed, or copied.
- University of Wyoming - Confidential: For internal UW use only. Recipients outside the university will not be able to read or access the message. Message content can be modified, but cannot be copied or printed.
- University of Wyoming - Confidential View-Only: For internal UW use only. Recipients outside the university will not be able to read or access the message. Message contents cannot be modified, copied, or printed.
Caution: When sending encrypted messages, please be aware that some screen readers or "grabbers", screen snipping tools, or devices with cameras (such as cameras on smartphones), may still be able to record and copy the message content.
How to send encrypted messages:
In Outlook for Windows, compose a new message, add a recipient in the address field. Select the Options menu, then select Encrypt in the ribbon. Select the level of protection you desire for the message. Continue editing the message and send when ready.
In Outlook for Mac, compose a new message, add a recipient in the address field. Click the Draft menu, locate and click Encrypt. Select the level of protection you desire for the message. Continue editing the message and send when ready.
Within a web browser, logged into your UW email in the Office 365 web portal, create a new message. Select the Options menu, then select Encrypt in the ribbon. Select the level of protection you desire for the message. Please note the internal University of Wyoming options are not available in the web portal. Continue editing the message and send when ready.
For more information, limitations and considerations, please refer to the Microsoft article:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/encrypt-email-messages-373339cb-bf1a-4509-b296-802a39d801dc