Encrypted communications

In light of the recent DRIP Act (Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act) none can guarantee that any communications by email that are not encrypted are secure.

This applies to all professionals and to ask communications – business and private.

We are now moving our clients toward using two alternatives to increase the security of the information that is sent to us. There can never be a 100% guarantee about security, but these routes should dramatically reduce the risks associated with email.

Edward Snowden, of NSA leaks fame, recommends that all professionals consider encrypting all emails as a matter of course, and we agree with his advice.

Before we highlighted the best routes covering encryption and secure transfer, can we highlight that there are one route that is not very successful.
Zip files are great for sending large files, but you face two major challenges:

• Zip files are perceived to be a major conduit for computer viruses, and are often blocked as a matter of course, and
• We still have to get the password to us, and if you email it in the next message, and someone is stirring/reading all your messages…. Well you get the implications.

To get around this we are suggesting two alternative routes for safe and secure transmission:

• Our secure document transfer system “OpenSpace” allows you to upload files in a way that is outwith the DRIP Act, and where the files are not stored.  You can upload any document secure in the knowledge that it is not being stored by your ISP.
• Uploaded password protected zip files will be doubly secure, and will be treated as safe from viruses in the first instance.
• We are currently assessing various encryption plugins to Outlook and other web based products to encrypt emails we send and which will allow clients to encrypt emails they send to us.

Of you want to use encrypted technologies, then please let us know, but we suspect they are going to become the norm in the next couple of years.