Email encryption with Office 365 – a secure solution?

Microsoft offers a solution called Office 365 Message Encryption (OME), enabling encrypted email communication between individuals both inside and outside your organization. But is email encryption with Office 365 truly secure? Security firm WithSecure has revealed significant vulnerabilities in the technology used: OME employs the block cipher Electronic Codebook (ECB). This encryption method exposes structural information in messages, allowing inferences about their content. If attackers gain access to an email archive, they can identify patterns that significantly jeopardize the confidentiality of all its contents.

Office 365 encryption: notable shortcomings in security, transparency, and efficiency

The issues with Microsoft's encryption extend beyond data security. Transparency is another area for improvement: users cannot verify whether recipients have read their messages or downloaded attachments. This becomes particularly problematic when companies need to assess the impact of a data breach. Key management is another weak point: it must be ensured that only authorized individuals, including senders, recipients, and approved administrators, can access shared data. However, Microsoft also retains a copy of the keys, posing an additional security risk. The service provider itself becomes a potential target for hackers and attackers.

An alternative to Office 365 email encryption – more important than ever

Effective encryption is critical in an era of rampant cybercrime. However, not only external attacks cause costs and damage to a company's reputation. Since the implementation of the GDPR in May 2018, non-compliance with associated regulations can result in hefty fines. Protecting personal data sent via email should therefore be a top priority. Yet encryption solutions like Microsoft Office 365 leave much to be desired: the lack of virus scans endangers not just individual computers but entire corporate networks.

Moreover, sending large files is not possible with Microsoft Office 365, a limitation shared by many providers. Additionally, there is significant administrative overhead. Encrypted communication can only commence once unique digital certificates are created for all senders and recipients and exchanged beforehand. This restricts secure communication to those who have set up the same configuration. Clearly, not all encryption guarantees confidentiality. A critical evaluation of Office 365 encryption demonstrates that companies must take data protection seriously to ensure GDPR-compliant communication.

Better than Microsoft encryption – make your emails truly secure!

To enhance data security for Office 365, you should consider alternative solutions. Cloud applications have proven to be particularly secure. FTAPI’s holistic Secure Data Workflow Platform, for instance, offers FTAPI SecuMails, an absolutely secure encryption technology easily integrated with your existing mailbox. Here are some benefits FTAPI SecuMails provides to companies and their employees:

• Simple setup
  Using FTAPI SecuMails minimizes administrative effort: no digital certificates or manual key exchanges are required. Fewer steps mean fewer entry points into the IT infrastructure.

• Work in a familiar environment
  FTAPI SecuMails integrates seamlessly with your existing mailbox. A simple add-in ensures secure, transparent, and efficient email encryption with Outlook.

• Maximum compatibility
  While email encryption from Office 365 and other providers often faces compatibility issues, FTAPI SecuMails is universally usable.
  Recipients don’t need an FTAPI account or pre-installation. Emails redirect effortlessly to the FTAPI web interface, where shared files can be downloaded. No file size limits ensure mail servers remain unburdened.

• Optional virus scanning
  For maximum security, FTAPI includes a pre-configured virus scan to identify, isolate, and delete threats before they reach your inbox.

• Flexible security settings
  Four customizable security levels allow individual configuration depending on data sensitivity.

• Zero-knowledge
  FTAPI ensures end-to-end encryption, meaning only the sender and recipient can access the data – not even FTAPI itself!

Secure data transfer is essential for businesses. Violating GDPR regulations not only results in severe fines but also risks a company’s reputation. Office 365 encryption poses a significant data protection risk due to its security flaws. Additionally, the encryption methods used cause complications and high implementation effort.

Say goodbye to half-baked solutions like Microsoft’s encryption. Choose the secure, seamless SecuPass technology! With FTAPI SecuMails, you can send sensitive data of any size securely and effortlessly.