Why does Samuel Merritt University encrypt email?

The University has a duty to safeguard personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI), and other sensitive information as it leaves our email system. Encryption adds an additional layer of safety to the message and provides a greater level of assurance that the intended recipient is the only party who can access the sensitive content. This helps protect both individuals and the University.

Email encryption provides an additional safeguard, as it protects the message if a recipient’s email account is compromised. Not everyone is careful with their accounts. Every day, passwords are leaked, cracked, and fall into the wrong hands. Unencrypted messages can be too easily viewed, downloaded, or forwarded when a recipient’s account is not well protected. If the message contains sensitive information, its contents are exposed.

I see this recommendation when I’m composing an email. What does this mean?

This is Office 365 Information Protection at work. In this example, sensitive information is entered into the body of the message or contained in an attachment being sent outside the University email system. The information prompt lets you know there is sensitive information contained in the message and that it will be encrypted.

Do I have to accept the recommendation?

No. The notification informs you that the recipient of your email will receive an encrypted message because sensitive information was detected.

What happens if I don’t accept the recommendation and send it anyway?

The message will be encrypted regardless.

I sent someone an encrypted email. What do they receive?

They receive an email that looks like this. The message can be read by clicking “Read the message” and

then following the prompts to enter either a one-time passcode issued by Microsoft, or the credentials

of an existing Microsoft account.

Someone replied to my encrypted message and said they couldn’t open the attachment or open the message. What can I tell them?

Outlook Message Encryption is easy to use. However, some may be unfamiliar with the process or may have tried to access your message in haste, not realizing the message requires additional verification to access.

  When someone reports being unable to open an attachment, it is almost always because they’re unfamiliar with Outlook Message Encryption. You can refer recipients to this link for       assistance with reading encrypted messages.

  How to access a SMU encrypted email.