When Should I Use Email Encryption?
You must use encryption if you are emailing anything confidential or classified such as:
- protected health information (PHI)
- personally identifiable information (PII)
- HIPAA information
- FERPA information
- educational records
- credit card information
- anything protected by governmental or institutional regulations, it must be encrypted.
Encryption ensures that protected or sensitive information is not intercepted during email transmission, thus protecting you and the university from potentially costly and reputation-damaging data breaches.
How Do I Send an Encrypted Email?
Anything can be entered in the subject line as long as the word encrypt is included somewhere within it. Examples: New Student Information encrypt or Encrypt New Student Information.
Note that encryption or encrypted will not trigger the encryption process.
What Do I Do When I Receive an Encrypted Email?
UTHSC users will see that the email displays as usual, but there is a note that the email has been encrypted.
How to Reply to or Forward an Encrypted Email
You can reply to the email or forward as usual. Encryption will continue to be enabled on the entire email thread as long as the recipient replies from the screen where the encrypted message is displayed. If needed, the Subject line can be changed.