It never hurts to be too careful in the digital arena, no matter who you may be sending a message to. Unbeknownst to many, just because you send your emails via a secure wireless network or VPN doesn’t mean they can’t be intercepted by a third party. Sometimes this type of data breach can be quite innocent, but often enough it is not, so with a few simple steps, you can cryptographically sign emails heading out of Outlook – keeping your message private and safe.

An important thing to note is that these tips do not work with Microsoft Outlook on the Outlook.com website. To cryptographically sign from there, ask your administrator to specifically install the Office 365 Message Encryption plugin – or, complete the task yourself, if you have admin access.

To encrypt emails via the Outlook program, share our digital ID with another party, so that you can always trust emails when they go back and forth. If you don’t yet have a digital ID, visit File > Options > Trust Center > Email Security, and follow the instructions there.

To digitally sign each message manually, go to Digitally Sign Message, viewable from the Messages tab. If none of these options are available to you, simply go to the security settings, and “add digital signature to this message.”

To digitally encrypt each message, simply go to the button that says Encrypt Message Contents and Attachments. This is also viewable as an envelope with a lockbox. Again, if this option is not available to you visit the security settings. To encrypt all of the email messages that you send, go to Trust Center, from File > Options.

Having the right IT professional can help keep all of your data secure, all of the time. For more helpful tips and tricks, or for a consultation in Los Angeles County, give Biztek Solutions, Inc. a call at (800)353-5430 to speak with our professional staff. Let us help you find solutions for all of your data storage, security, and computer needs.