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Nicole Keiner
- Email is Not Secure – Why Encryption is Critical
Knowledge Base
Email is Not Secure – Why Encryption is Critical
Intrada continually tells all of our clients never to send personal, health, or financial information via email unless you encrypt your email. In other words, any data that needs to be protected (protected data) should never be emailed without encryption.
“People think email is a safe way to send information, but it isn’t,” says David Steele, co-owner of Intrada Technologies. “Email is not a secure way to transfer any information without encryption. Encryption is critical.”
Let’s first discuss what protected data is, then discuss encryption. Before we go into more information about protected data, do you remember what Intrada continually tells our clients to never do? Yes – you got it! Never, ever send personal, health, or financial information via email unless you encrypt your email.
What is Protected Data?
Protected data is information about a person that a cybercriminal can use to carry out identity theft or illegal online activities.
Types of Protected Data
Personal Identifiable Information (PII)
Personal identifiable information is any representation of information that permits the identity of an individual to whom the information applies to be reasonably inferred by either direct or indirect means. It is the responsibility of the individual user to protect the data to which they have access. Examples include name, address, social security number or other identifying number or code, telephone number, or email address.
Protected Health Information (PHI)
The HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information. Demographic information, medical histories, test and laboratory results, mental health conditions, insurance information, and other data that a healthcare professional collects to identify an individual and determine appropriate can also be classified as personal health information.
Payment Card Information (PCI)
Any representation of financial or account information. Examples include social security numbers, bank or other account numbers, and account numbers.
What is Email Encryption?
Encrypting an email message is converting from readable plain text into scrambled cipher text. You would encrypt an email that contains any of the protected data mentioned above (PII, PHI or PCI). Only the recipient who has the private key that matches the public key used to encrypt the message can decipher the message for reading. This is usually handled through an email portal that the receiving party needs to access to read the email message. When you need to protect the privacy of your email message, encrypt it.
And remember (just in case you didn’t read it the other two times where it was mentioned in this article) never, ever send personal, health, or financial information via email unless you encrypt your email.
If you need to send an encrypted email and do not know how, contact Intrada’s IT HELP DESK to learn more on how to safely send your protected information.
Cybersecurity Awareness Poster
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Click here for a cybersecurity awareness training poster that Intrada Technologies clients may print and post to meet cybersecurity insurance requirements. |
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