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How to Overcome Email Encryption Challenges

Thursday, July 13th, 2023

If your business transmits sensitive information via email, encryption is often required to meet compliance standards. However, if encryption is difficult to use, employees and recipients alike may avoid secure channels and communicate sensitive information insecurely. Email encryption technology must be intuitive for employees to use and easy for recipients to decrypt to encourage adoption. In this article, we explore some of the main issues with email encryption and how to address them to improve the user experience.

man looking at computer frustrated by email encryption

Decrypting Messages is Too Difficult

If it’s challenging for recipients to decrypt messages, they go unread or deleted. Most users will not install new software or create new accounts to read an email message. They will delete the message and move on with their day. Encryption technologies like PGP and S/MIME are highly secure, but with that security comes a lack of usability. It’s essential to evaluate the message contents and select a level of encryption corresponding to the message sensitivity.

The User Experience is Poor

If reading encrypted messages requires the user to visit other websites, log in to other accounts, and verify their identity multiple times, it creates a poor user experience that drives individuals outside of secure channels to communicate. This defeats the purpose of using encrypted email and leaves people unsatisfied.

Email Encryption Technology isn’t Error-Proof

How many times have you forgotten to include an attachment when sending an important email? For users who need to send encrypted emails, remembering to type a keyword or press a button to enable encryption introduces risk, interrupts business processes, and generally limits productivity.

How to Improve the Email Encryption Experience

To address some of these issues, let’s look at a few ways that you can improve the email encryption experience for both senders and recipients.

Use TLS Encryption

Instead of using a secure web portal or exchanging S/MIME and PGP keys, use TLS as often as possible to encrypt emails. TLS is sometimes called “invisible encryption” because it provides a barely noticeable encryption experience for recipients. Emails sent with TLS encryption appear just like regular emails in the recipient’s inbox and do not require any additional steps to decrypt. TLS encryption is sufficient for most compliance requirements, including HIPAA, which makes it an excellent choice for many email communications.

Make Encryption Decisions Automatic

TLS is supported by over 80% of email clients, which means it’s appropriate in most situations. But what happens when TLS cannot be supported? For many encryption providers, that means they send the email without any encryption at all. For customers with compliance requirements, this is not an option. By choosing an email encryption provider like LuxSci, you can configure your encryption settings to automatically select a form of encryption that is compatible with the recipient’s email client. For example, if the recipient does not support TLS encryption, the email would be sent to a secure web portal to protect it. Users don’t have to run tests or make the right choice; LuxSci’s tool automatically chooses the right encryption option based on your configuration and the recipient’s settings.

Take Technology Choices out of Employee Hands

Make encryption opt-out instead of opt-in. By encrypting all emails automatically with TLS, employees do not need to decide if an email needs to be secured. As discussed above, TLS provides a user experience just like regular email, so it does not make it more challenging for the recipient to engage with messages. Encrypting all emails as a matter of policy reduces risk and does not slow down workflows.

Administrators can allow users to opt out of encryption if they choose to. This added step requires employees to think carefully about the message contents and ensure they are not sensitive before sending.

Conclusion

Email encryption does not have to be difficult to use. It’s possible to securely exchange information via email without negatively impacting the user experience. To learn more about how LuxSci’s SecureLine email encryption can help you protect sensitive data at scale, contact us today.

Tags: decryption, dlp, email encryption, pgp, portal pickup, s/mime, secureline, tls, tls encryption, user experience
Posted in Email, LuxSci Library: The Technical Side of Email
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Futureproof Your Data Loss Prevention Strategy with Always On Email Encryption

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

The threats to sensitive data keep increasing, and organizations are struggling to stay secure. With the government considering new cybersecurity requirements for critical infrastructure, many organizations are reviewing their data loss prevention policies and are looking for ways to improve their security stance. This article reviews standard data loss prevention methods, their shortcomings, and how adding always-on email encryption to your toolbox can help futureproof your communications.

data loss prevention gaps

What is Email Data Loss Prevention?

Data loss prevention, also known as DLP, ensures that sensitive data is not lost, misused, or accessed by unauthorized users. DLP software allows users to classify business-critical data and take specific actions when those data are present in email messages. If sensitive data is identified, data loss prevention tools take some action to prevent users from accidentally or maliciously sharing data that could put the organization at risk.

How does DLP Technology work?

There are two main types of data loss prevention tools available:

  • Rules-based DLP
  • AI and Machine Learning based DLP

We will primarily discuss rules-based DLP in this article. But first, DLP tools that use AI or machine learning are trained on an extensive data set to identify when email messages sent by your employees contain sensitive information.

In rules-based DLP software, administrators create rules that trigger the data loss prevention technology to take a particular action. Some examples of rules include:

  • Encrypting emails that contain social security numbers.
  • Not sending emails that contain health data (as identified by the organization).
  • Flagging emails that include specific keywords like “contract,” “financial report,” or “confidential information.”

Once the rules are in place, the DLP software will scan every outgoing email message to search for data that meets the criteria. When the DLP detects sensitive data, it takes an action that the administrator also determines. Some common protective actions include:

  • Not sending the email at all.
  • Adding a warning label or sending a notice to the email sender.
  • Encrypting the email and sending it to a web portal.

Why is DLP technology insufficient for security and compliance?

While DLP technology may capture most sensitive data, it is not infallible. In industries like healthcare and finance, even one mistake could lead to a breach with severe financial penalties.

PHI data risk

Looking at how most data loss prevention software works, it’s easy to see how it can fail. Rule-based DLP requires administrators to thoroughly document and catalog every possible variation of the keywords and number formats that could indicate the presence of sensitive data. Even one typo could throw off DLP software and cause data to be sent without protection. Sensitive healthcare and financial data do not always fall cleanly into pre-determined categories, and there are always exceptions to rules.

Conversely, false positives from extremely strict rule-making can result in delayed business communications and inefficiency. If DLP rules are too restrictive and too many messages are not sent or locked behind a portal, employees may use less secure channels to get around DLP technology.

How to Close Data Loss Prevention Gaps with Always-On Email Encryption

Highly regulated industries should consider sending all messages with a baseline of TLS encryption instead of relying on DLP technology to trigger it. TLS encryption is secure enough to meet most compliance requirements and has added usability benefits. TLS-encrypted messages appear just like regular, unencrypted emails in the recipient’s inbox, making them easy to read and respond to but without the risk of interception or eavesdropping. When all messages are automatically encrypted, you can worry less about DLP failure and data leakage.

DLP scanning can also trigger web portal pick-up encryption for more sensitive messages. Sending highly confidential information like financial statements, medical records, and board meeting minutes requires added security that can be triggered by DLP technology. Reducing the number of rules required makes data loss prevention tools easier for administrators to manage. Also, removing encryption choices from employees improves their productivity and reduces risk.

Message encryption may only be optional for a little while longer. In 2022, CISA issued Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals, which recommended TLS encryption as part of prioritized cybersecurity practices that critical infrastructure owners and operators can implement to reduce the likelihood and impact of known risks and adversary techniques. Prepare for the future and protect your sensitive data by using LuxSci’s easy-to-use email encryption tools today.

Tags: content filters, data loss prevention, dlp, email encryption, email security, financial data, futureproof, keyword filtering, phi
Posted in Email, LuxSci Library: Security and Privacy
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Reduce Risk with Set It and Forget It Email Encryption

Tuesday, February 7th, 2023

Leveraging PHI in your communications provides relevant, meaningful information to patients while significantly increasing positive health outcomes. LuxSci’s secure and HIPAA-compliant always-on email encryption streamlines the communications process and reduces risk. Use PHI safely and securely with set it and forget it email encryption technology.

doctor sending email

The Email Encryption Landscape

There are many ways to enable encryption for messages that contain protected health information. The most common include data loss prevention technology and manual opt-in encryption.

First, data loss prevention uses software to scan message contents to look for keywords, phrases, or patterns that indicate the presence of sensitive or confidential information. Administrators must create detailed rules that instruct the DLP technology on what information is privileged and should be encrypted. While this is effective for some common keywords and patterns like social security numbers, a lot of health data does not fall neatly into pre-defined rules. DLP can quickly be rendered inadequate by misspellings, typos, or other human errors that fail to trigger the technology.

PHI data risk

The next way that email messages are commonly encrypted is through human decision-making. The user switches a toggle or types a word like “encrypt” into the subject line or message to notify the system that the message should be secured. This form of opt-in encryption is hazardous because it relies on staff members making the right decisions around confidentiality and security. Even the best employees will make mistakes. How many times have you forgotten to include an attachment with an email message?

A Better Way: Set It and Forget It Email Encryption

set it and forget it email encryption At LuxSci, we recommend a different approach. Encrypting every email message automatically drastically reduces the risk of user error and ensures 100% message encryption. In industries like healthcare and finance, even one mistake could lead to a breach with severe financial penalties.

By encrypting all messages with a baseline of TLS encryption, organizations can meet their compliance requirements and provide a better user experience for recipients because portal logins are not required.

Set It

Setting up LuxSci’s Secure Connector takes less than one hour. Administrators can set it up globally, with no local installation or download required by staff members to connect. Once DNS and encryption settings are configured, employees can send secure emails immediately.

Administrators can choose the encryption configuration option that best fits their business processes. TLS is suitable for most communications, but sensitive data like health records, financial reports, or other confidential information can be sent to a secure portal for increased security. Administrators can create and manage encryption settings on an individual or group level to provide maximum flexibility. LuxSci’s encryption technology is highly configurable to meet any business need.

Forget It

Administrators don’t have to rely on employee decision-making when all messages are automatically encrypted. Employees do not need to be trained on when to enable encryption. It just happens automatically in the background, which increases security and gives you peace of mind.

It’s also easier for administrators to manage. There is no need to create detailed lists of rules to trigger encryption technology. Once you’ve selected your encryption preferences, all emails are sent that way. Minimal ongoing training or support is needed, and administrators can be confident that their messages are protected. In addition, users can verify that secure message delivery occurred with comprehensive analytics reports.

The Results: Improved Patient Engagement

TLS encryption is a game-changer because it is secure enough to meet compliance requirements and is user-friendly. TLS-encrypted messages appear just like regular, unencrypted emails in the recipient’s inbox, making them easy to read and respond to but without the risk of interception or eavesdropping. This is crucial for users who are not tech-savvy and helps to increase engagement with the message contents. If a user needs to take an extra step to log into a portal or create an account, they are more likely to drop off and not read the message.

Reducing friction in patient communications helps improve conversions and nudges patients into taking actions that will improve their health outcomes. Access to health care needs to be equitable, and that means making clinical communications seamless for users of all technical abilities.

Tags: always on encryption, automatic encrypion, dlp, email encryption, human error, patient engagement, phi, risk analysis, secure connector, set it and forget it
Posted in Email, LuxSci Library: HIPAA
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Next Generation Data Loss Prevention (DLP) with LuxSci Secure Email

Tuesday, September 29th, 2015

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) describes a plan for companies to control the sending of sensitive data.  E.g. this can include controls to stop the flow of sensitive data or to ensure that sensitive data is always well-encrypted (for compliance) when sent.

In the context of email, DLP is usually achieved through the following formula:

  1. Construct a list of words, phrases, or patterns that, if they are present in an email, signify an email message that may contain sensitive information.
  2. Have all outbound email scanned for these words, phrases, or patterns
  3. For messages that match, take action:
    1. Block: Refuse to send the message, or
    2. Encrypt: Ensure that the message is encrypted
    3. Audit: (and maybe send a copy of the message to an “auditor”)

This classic DLP system is available through many email providers and has been available at LuxSci for many years as well. However, it does have a glaring limitation — no matter how complete and complex your DLP pattern list is, it is almost certain that some messages containing sensitive information will not quite match (or the information will be embedded in attachments that can’t be searched properly).  If they do not match, then they will escape in a way that may be considered a breach.

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Tags: data loss prevention, dlp, encrypt, escrow, hipaa, pgp, s/mime, tls
Posted in LuxSci Library: HIPAA, LuxSci Library: Security and Privacy
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