How to Encrypt Files Before Sharing

It is a good practice to encrypt sensitive data before sharing with others, even if you are using a secure file transfer service. The instructions below should be used if you are sharing highly confidential or confidential information per the Policy & Information Manual. The following instructions explain how to protect data of all types before sharing them, as well as how recipients can decrypt and access data.

Encrypting Emails

All college faculty and staff have access to an Outlook email account. If you are sending an email that includes PII (Personal Identifiable Information) make sure to encrypt the email before sending by following the steps below.

To encrypt an email follow these steps:

Login to Outlook on the web, https://outlook.office365.com/live.sscc.edu
Select the New Email button.
Select the Options tab.
Select the Encrypt button on the Options tab. Then select Encrypt from the drop down.
Your message is now encrypted, and you will see a message at the top of your email stating that "This message is ecrypted".

The directions above show how to add general Encryption, but you also have the option to select 'Do Not Forward', 'Southern State Community College - Confidential', or 'Southern State Community College - Confidential View Only'.

Do Not Forward: Recipients can't forward, print, or copy the email content.
Encrypt: This message is encrypted. Recipients can't remove encryption.
Southern State Community College - Confidential: This content is proprietary information intended for internal users only. This content can be modified but cannot be copied and printed. If this option is selected and the email is sent or forwarded to someone outside of SSCC, they will see "You don't have permission to view this message".
Southern State Community College - Confidential View Only: This content is proprietary information intended for internal users only. This content cannot be modified. If this option is selected and the email is sent or forwarded to someone outside of SSCC, they will see "You don't have permission to view this message".

Encrypt files or folders with 7-zip

Southern State recommends the use of 7-zip to encrypt files. Contact Tech Support if this program is not installed on your Southern State device.

To encrypt a file or folder follow these steps:

Right-click on the object.
Select 7-Zip
Select Add to archive...
The "Add to Archive" window will open.
Verify the correct file name is listed in the window. The file name displayed represents the file name of the final encrypted file.
Make sure you select zip as the Archive format.
Create a password and enter it twice. This password will be needed to decrypt the file to be used again.
*Make the password at least 8 characters and use special characters.
Make the encryption method AES-256.
Click OK.
The encrypted file will be located next to the original file.

To Open an ecrypted file follow these steps:

Right-click & select 7-Zip
Select Extract Files...
Verify the correct "Extract to" location for the extraction to place the decrypted file.
Type in the password
Select OK.

Sharing passwords for encrypted documents

It is important to remember that the password you used to protect the document should be shared separately from the file and NOT shared via email. If your email account is compromised, and you shared both the file and password via separate emails, it would still allow an intruder to open the document. Instead, share the password with the recipient using a phone call or text message.