Set up message encryption

Encryption is the process of encoding data to prevent unauthorized access. Encrypting a message helps keep the contents of the message private by converting it from readable text to cipher (scrambled) text. An encrypted message can be read only by recipients who have the private key to decrypt it. When you encrypt a message, any attachments included with the message are also encrypted.

To set up message encryption, you must do the following:

Download and install the S/MIME Control.
Get a digital ID that allows you to encrypt e-mail messages.
Verify that you can send encrypted messages.

Download and install the S/MIME Control

In the Navigation Pane, click Options.
To install the newest version of the control, under E-mail Security, click Download. If an older version of the control is already installed on the computer, you may need to click Re-install to update it.

Important Some computers, especially those available for public use, may not allow you to download the S/MIME Control.

To encrypt all your outgoing messages, under E-mail Security, select Encrypt contents and attachments for outgoing messages. Your server administrator may have selected this option by default.
Tip To encrypt some but not all your outgoing messages, leave this option unselected. Then, when you create a message or post a message to a public folder, just click Encrypt message contents and attachments in the toolbar before you send or post the message.
Click Save and Close.

Verify that you can send encrypted messages

You can use Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access to send an encrypted message to someone if:

You can send encrypted messages to yourself. To do this, you must have previously used Outlook or another program to publish your digital ID for encryption to the Active Directory directory service. Alternatively, your server administrator may have published your digital ID for you.
The person's Active Directory object includes a valid and trusted digital ID for encryption.
You added the person to your Contacts from Outlook, and the recipient's contact information includes a valid and trusted digital ID for encryption.
You are replying to a message that includes a valid digital ID for encryption that is trusted by your Microsoft Exchange server.