Want to encrypt Email Messages in MS Outlook? Then, here you will get all the answers to your queries.
Today one of the most important assets for the users is to keep their confidential information protected. It is now very common to have data theft as even now Outlook claims to be the best. Still, it has some deficiencies that make the user’s message insecure and vulnerable. In this article, we will be covering the complete procedures so that one can make their encrypt Outlook email.
If one wants to keep their emails protected then he has to convert their plaintext (email message) into a scrambled ciphertext. This makes the user assure that only he can decrypt their emails. Apart from him, no one can read his emails. Normally, MS Outlook works with the two encryption options. These are-
S/MIME Encryption and Office 365 Message Encryption
So, let’s know about them along with their complete steps so that one can know more about Outlook encryption.
How to Encrypt Outlook Email?
Although Office updates itself from time to time that automatically also enhances the Outlook encryption. So let’s dig out more by reading further and know How to send encrypt email in Outlook?
How to encrypt email in Outlook through S/MIME
Before knowing the process let’s understand the term first.
S/MIME Encryption: S/MIME also known as Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions is asymmetric cryptography that encrypts user’s emails from unauthorized access. If a user wants to use this method then he must keep one thing in mind. That both the sender and receiver application must support the S/MIME standard. Moreover, this encryption method also offers the option of a digital sign. The digital sign is very productive in handling numerous Phishing attacks.
It is used by Outlook users to encrypt email in Outlook. This keeps the privacy maintained between the information shared between the sender and receiver.and also ensures that apart from them no one can open or read their documents.
Here are the following steps for users to arrange O365’s s/MIME:
- Firstly, install a Windows-based Certification Authority and to issue S/MIME certificates, arrange a public key infrastructure.
- In the UserSMIMECertificate and/or UserCertificate attributes print the user certificate in an on-premises Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) account. Then, locate Your AD DS on computers at a physical location that you can control.
- Arrange a virtual certificate collection to confirm S/MIME. This information will help Outlook during confirming the signature of an email. As it will be presented as evidence that it was signed by a trusted certificate.
- After that, arrange the Outlook or EAS endpoint to use S/MIME.
Users must have a digital signature and for that users require a digital ID to request an S/MIME receipt.
- Initially, tap on Options in an open message.
- Then, hit the Message Options Dialog Box Launcher located in the More Options group.
- Now, tap on the option Security Settings available Under Security.
- After that, pick the Add digital signature to this message check box.
- Choose the Request S/MIME receipt for this message check box.
- Next, tap OK >Close on the Security Properties and Properties dialog boxes.
- Finally, send your message.
As you can see, this method has multiple steps just for sending the message. Moreover, it is also necessary for both the sender and recipient to use S/MIME. If not, then the user will be unable to use the end-to-end encryption that S/MIME.
S/MIME also asks the sender to have the public keys for each individual they share messages with. And they must also keep their own private keys. In case, their device gets stolen, they have to get a new public and private key. That later will be shared to with colleagues. If the user has some crucial message that was available under the original private key. Then it will get lost.
So these were some interesting facts about S/MIME. Now, let’s see some drawbacks too. S/MIME is vulnerable to attack; this simply indicates that s/MIME is not able to avoid the attackers. And these attackers can easily creep into the user’s platform and can read users’ messages.
Outlook encrypted emails by Office 365 Message Encryption (OME)
Before knowing the process let’s understand the term first.
Office 365 Message Encryption: in this method, users can encrypt messages through the rights management templates, Do Not Forward option, and encrypt-only option. By this, users will get a smooth reading experience for encrypted or rights-protected mails. If the receiver using this encrypted or rights-protected email is using a different email client like Outlook.com, Gmail, or Yahoo. In this scenario, they will get a wrapper mail that will lead them to the OME portal. In the OME portal, users can authenticate through their account credentials.
This email encryption allows its user to send an encrypted email to any Outlook or a third-party email client. This method is applicable only with an Office 365 subscription. The drawback of this approach is that users must have to perform extra steps every time they get an encrypted email message.
Users can encrypt email by using these simple steps-
- Firstly, write a new email message and choose Options > choose Encrypt then from the drop-down apply the restrictions that you need to.
By doing this, if the user sends an encrypt Email Messages in MS Outlook then the recipient will get only a link to the email. Once the user taps on that link he will immediately be taken to a webpage. Here, they are required to sign in with an Outlook work or school account or with a one-time passcode. The earlier option will be applicable to those receivers who have an active Office 365 subscription. If the receiver selects the latter authentication option, it will lead them to another webpage. They will get a one-time password on their registered email account. This one-time password has to be entered in the provided text box on this webpage.
So these were the manual approaches that one can perform but the user must have technical skills. So, if they get in any trouble then they know how to come out or solve this.
There are various reasons due to which there is a possibility of corruption in your Outlook mails. So to help you from this situation users can try the PST Repair tool to repair corrupt PST File & restore Outlook Emails from PST File. The software is compatible and can easily run with all MS Outlook and MS Windows versions.
Concluding Line
This blog discusses the possible approach to encrypt Email Messages in MS Outlook. Here, I have discussed every possible approach that one can follow to encrypt Outlook email. If users face any corruption issue in their emails then try this PST Repair tool. It is a very efficient tool and also saves a lot of time.
